Remnant of Light
by bathedinblood
Summary: After saving the Warmind Rasputin from attack, the Vanguard is given the location of a possible Golden Age colony that was not wiped out by the Darkness. A single veteran Titan is charged with the responsibility of making contact with this colony and bringing them back into humanity's fold. But it will not be easy. Rated M so far for violence and reference of adult themes.
1. Chapter 1

I did it again. I had one story flying along, doing very well, and suddenly I get an idea. I read some of the other crossovers, and this idea got bigger. Now, I can't help but think about it when I'm at work, while I'm driving, it just has so much potential! I consider my other story to be more important, and this one is just something to flesh out, more to get it out of my head than anything. It also helps that both series I'm focused on in my other story have effectively ended.

 **Chapter 1**

* * *

When humanity first climbed above the rest of the animals on Earth, it did so with cunning, fortitude, and ferocity. Man mastered the use of tools, banded together, and grasped concepts that the simpler creatures on Earth simply could not comprehend. Mankind exploded across the surface of the planet, creating cultures, religions, and stories to be shared and traded with all walks of life. Not every meeting was peaceful, however, and mankind became proficient in Earth's most common pastime: war.

Clubs and spears yielded to swords and bows. Spears and bows were cut down by rifles and cannons. Mounted cavalry fell to machine gun fire. Bunkers and trenches trapped on the ground fell prey to the airplanes that soared free in the sky. With each war, innovation and competition hurried humanity along the path of their evolution. Then, one day, in a lull between empires, everything changed.

It started, as these things often did, with a mistake. A faulty sensor node near Mars that required an astronaut's touch, the remote controlled bots too clumsy to effect the repairs. When the repair team arrived, they found something no man had ever seen before.

The Traveler. A gargantuan sphere, white in color and brimming with power, what we would later refer to as Light. The methods of communication between the Traveler and humanity is something of a mystery, but shortly after its discovery humanity entered a Golden Age to surpass any others in its history. The denizens of Earth shed their shackles and spread out among the stars. Whole worlds were discovered, colonized, and terraformed to allow for even more expansion. Artificial humans were created, the Exos, and they too added their light to the cosmos. A Speaker was chosen every century or so, and over the years was charged to commune and give aid as the Traveler dictated, though few knew the rituals that chose these enigmatic individuals that led humanity. The Traveler had brought peace and great prosperity to humanity. But no Golden Age lasts forever.

Even a being as great as the Traveler had enemies. An all consuming entity, referred to simply as the Darkness, followed the Traveler to humanity's doorstep. Weapons of light and millions of soldiers fought in defense of humanity's great empire, but the Darkness had allies as well.

First, there was the Fallen, four-armed bandits that scavenged and stole everything they could sink their claws into. These vultures picked apart every technological marvel they could find, often using mechanical supplements to better emulate their machine gods. They were organized into Houses, with each House led by a vicious Kell that ruled with an iron fist. The word of the Kell was law, and all that ignored it were put to the sword. The Fallen bent their knee to Servitors, large floating robots that looked like purple mechanical eyes. These machines converted precious resources into Ether, a substance that all Fallen required to live. The Fallen Houses often fought among themselves, but they all agreed on one thing: humanity was their enemy.

Then, there was the Vex, mysterious machines that controlled the very fabrics and strings of time. These robots operated with a joined mind, a single vast consciousness spanning over a million units at a time. The larger the Vex, the more pivotal it was in their vast network. Because of this, the metal warriors were capable of reacting instantaneously. This reaction was amplified by the complex translocation networks that covered every planet influenced by the Vex. Their models were a mixture of metal and mind, with their central processors being organic. According to many esteemed Warlocks, the Vex maintained a monopoly on the manipulation of time itself. In many cases, soldiers fighting against these metal monstrosities were thrown into the dark corners of time, forced to live out the rest of their lives in useless isolation.

Perhaps the most aggressive enemy to the City was the Hive, a cacophony of corpses clawing their way to consume the Light. Steeped in dark magic and ancient rituals, the Hive was a hierarchy of monsters, each as cunning as they were revolting. For every soldier defending humanity, there were thirty charging Thrall. If the Thrall were defeated, the more tenacious Acolytes would step to the task. Above the Acolytes were Wizards and Knights, pillars of decaying strength and perverse spells. At the top of the Hive leadership, the Ascendant Hive were as Gods, their might drawing on the Darkness itself as they slew millions in their conquest.

Perhaps the most civilized of the Darkness' minions, the Cabal threatened humanity with every measured step. A race of large and warlike creatures whose empire spanned galaxies, these 'space turtles' weighed almost half a ton apiece, and were extremely regimented in both their society and their military. Whenever a Cabal Legionary leaves their empire, he is banished unless he returns in victory. Until Earth falls, the ancient customs of the honor bound Cabal refuse to allow them to return home. Bonds forged in combat and years of training ensure absolute loyalty among the Cabal, and their leaders will often be seen at the front of every charge.

All of these forces bore down upon humanity, and humanity could not stop them. Every world was fought for, and every world went silent. Massive battles, the sheer scope simply beyond comprehension, waged as humanity fought to defend their savior. The war lasted for so long, but humanity was pushed back to Earth. In the final moments of the war, the Traveler spoke for the last time; Light echoed from Earth to the far edges of the Sol system, pushing back the Darkness and giving the forces under its command pause. But with that final push, the Traveler fell silent. On that day, the Traveler died.

Humanity crept out from beneath their broken god, and found that the world was still theirs. Their empire had been torn down around them, but they yet lived. A strange mutation occurred in some humans, however. Their skin turned various hues of blue or purple, their eyes glowed, and their veins showed with tracks of light racing through them. Many of these changed people, these Awoken, fled to the Reef, a cluster of destroyed ships and asteroids in Sol's asteroid belt.

The day the Traveler died, something else happened. Ghosts, little embodiments of light, appeared all over the Earth. The sought out warriors, those fallen in the great Collapse, and one by one, brought them back. These resurrected warriors wielded great power and Light, and so long as their Ghost was intact, they would not die. The Traveler settled onto Earth, and all of humanity converged underneath it to build the last great City. They were harassed from all sides by the servants of the Darkness, but the resurrected warriors fought pack as humanity made its pilgrimage to the City. The warriors were then called Guardians, and their valor and sacrifice earned them great renown.

Once safe underneath the Traveler, humanity began to rebuild. Centuries passed, and as they did, the Guardians painted themselves into legend. The Light they wielded came in three forms: Arc Light, the manipulation of electricity and currents; Solar Light, the scorching power of fire and the inferno; and Void Light, a mysterious dark energy that disintegrated foes into nothingness. Hunters, the scouts that moved through the wilderness like snakes in grass, their eyes sharp and their blades sharper. Titans, embodiments of strength and power, tore through their opponents with savagery and cunning. Warlocks, the abstract thinkers and conjurers, bent the rules of the universe itself as they eradicated their opponents. These Guardians stood in defense of the City and all who dwelt within it, in service to their charges and the Traveler. Many Guardians ventured into the dark to reclaim the lost treasures of humanity, but they did not always return. As the years passed, it became evident that while they were resilient, Guardians were not immortal. Immune to age and sickness, a Guardian's death was only permanent if their Ghost was also lost. No one could explain how the Ghosts were created, but one thing was certain: there wasn't going to be any more.

This fact was made painfully obvious when the Hive took the moon, gouging and digging their way deep into its core as they claimed it as their own. In the span of the Collapse, such a loss was paltry given that Earth itself almost fell. However, when the Guardians were born, a massive effort was made to reclaim the moon from its undead masters. The Hive God Crota, Son of Oryx, slew thousands of Guardians with his dark blade, devouring their Light and ending lives with every sweep of his sword. Every Ghost and Guardian lost was one less to defend the walls of the City, and soon the Vanguard, Guardians of such great renown they were elected as de facto leaders of the Guardians, recalled the great mass of Guardians that had fought so hard to reclaim the Golden Age. The moon remained lost, and the Hive consolidated their power within. Content with his conquest, Crota slept in his new home, waiting to answer a call no Guardian could explain as the Hive God prepared for the next assault.

Now, Guardians make forays into the dark in service to the City, but only alone or in small teams. The tactic limits the amount of Guardians placed in harm's way, but now each Guardian must face down vastly superior numbers in order to survive. It is a process that creates tough, battle hardened individuals, but not every newborn Guardian survives this harrowing. With Guardians falling every day, the Darkness waits patiently, until there are no more defenders of the Light...

* * *

The punch caught Horst off guard, and Shaax pursued the advantage with a combination knee strike and headbutt that sent the smaller Titan to the floor, though he didn't stay there long. Horst rolled as he fell and came up to his knees, glad for there to be some distance between himself and his mentor. Lord Shaax was the handler over the Crucible, the war games that fine tuned Guardians against the forces of Darkness by pitting them against each other in fights that were epic, sometimes bordering on cataclysmic. The large man wore a helmet with a red stripe down the center, his face hidden by a full face plate. A horn decorated either side of the helm, but the one on the left had been sheared off in some battle years ago. Shaax had kept it as memento to the Guardian that had inflicted it, and then later beat the poor Hunter to a pulp. Shaax had a bolt of fur that coiled around his neck and towards his shoulders, which were protected by massive pauldrons. His arms were armored with gauntlets that were too heavy for starting Titans, a testament to how powerful the legendary Titan was. Shaax's legs were covered in a similar manner to his arms, with flat, slanted plates protecting his thighs and large knee joints to protect his patella. A stiff pair of shin guards and stout boots rounded out Shaax's armor, and the entire outfit was done in red and white. A mark, a thick ribbon of specially treated cloth, cascaded down from his right hip, a bright red and sporting an emblem of crossed swords inside of a circle, the Mark of the Crucible. The cloth ended just above his ankle, and proved no hindrance in a fight such as this.

"Come on, if you can eat a rocket, you can eat a punch. Back to it." Shaax said as he smacked his fist. Despite his size, the man's voice was always calm and measured, like a volcano rumbling in the distance. His demeanor was always sure and quiet, though no one in the City doubted his ability to tear your arm off and beat you with it. That was one of the reasons Horst had requested Shaax to apprentice under.

"Master, I usually have to resurrect after eating a rocket." Horst said as he rose to his feet, his hands up to defend from any more strikes. He was roughly six and a half feet tall, and broad shouldered as many Titans were. His armor was nowhere near as ornate and decorated as Shaax's. His helmet was all angles, two flat and vertical sides, and a single light indicating his forward sensor. The front face plate slanted downward as well, and there was a short wing jutting out from behind the helmet. When he had first found the helmet, Horst had thought it both cool and functional, until Shaax had demonstrated how easily he could use the wing as a handle and beat his ass to a pulp. His chest plate was thick and angled downward as well, to redirect rounds that made it past his protective light barrier. His greaves and boots were of similar design to Shaax's, but his gauntlets and pauldrons were very special. The metal was stylized and intricate, an armor design referred to as the Ruin Wings. True to the name, the metal pauldrons curved and flowed like wings in flight, and his gauntlets flowed back toward his body for maximum protection. The armor modification inherent in the Ruin Wings design allowed for more efficient ammunition manipulation by his Ghost, with less matter going to waste as the little spark of Light manipulated the atoms of his weapons. In contrast to Shaax's red and white, Horst's armor was a metallic silver, and the cloth on the suit of his arms and pants a deep blue. His mark was similar in size and shape to Shaax's, only it was golden and stitched with a large white hammer. He wore the Sunbreaker's Mark, a badge of honor that declared his earned right to carry the Hammer of Sol. Despite the master – apprentice relationship, Horst was by no means a novice Titan. He had combed the solar system, chasing down enemies of the City with murderous resolve, and he had even been involved in the defeat of Crota, a Hive God bent on Earth's total destruction.

Horst pulled his hands up in a guard as Shaax rushed again, dodging to the side at the last second to avoid two lightning jabs from the larger Titan. Horst blocked the back fist with his forearm and returned two more into Shaax's unprotected torso, earning a grunt as Shaax released the air in his lungs to compensate for the force. Shaax threw a haymaker that was easily blocked by Horst, but he used it to grab Horst's arm and pin it behind his back. Horst pivoted with the turn and followed the move to prevent his master from torquing his wrist, and slid a foot between Shaax's legs as they moved. When they spun a little more, Horst hooked his foot behind one of Shaax's ankles and pulled, sending them both to the ground. What followed was a barely coordinated roll of grapples and punches that ended with Shaax sitting on Horst's back, his student to tired to move.

"Well done, lad. Keep up your training, and you'll beat me yet." Shaax said with a chuckle and stood. He offered a hand to his protege, and Horst took it. The smaller Titan coughed as he stood, and brushed off his mark.

"Somehow I doubt that, Lord Shaax. You've said that the last three hundred bouts, and I've yet to beat you." Horst's voice was a deep baritone, but he was much younger than Shaax. Then again, everyone was. The huge Titan had been one of the first Guardians ever, and had helped found the Crucible as a way to train Guardians. A shimmer of light, like a rain of bright cubes, appeared at Horst's shoulder, and his Ghost appeared.

"Actually, you've only lost two hundred and eighty three times. If that helps." The Ghost said cheerfully, thoroughly enjoying the show. Horst grunted at that, and Shaax laughed again. The Ghost had several rounded facets that were centered around his central eye, and these facets could separate from the main body and spin at their own volition. Its shell was painted black with a single crimson stripe running down the middle, a painstaking task undertaken by Horst shortly after he had been resurrected.

"Join in whenever you feel like it, Switch. I'm sure you'd be a great help." Horst snarked as he rolled the shoulder where Shaax had attempted to pin his arm. Despite getting out of it, the limb was still sore. Switch floated around his Guardian, bobbing in merriment as he examined Horst for injuries.

"Oh absolutely. I'll spin my wings at him. He won't see it coming." When Ghosts and Guardians meet, many find out that there are two outcomes: two different personalities that supported one another, or two remarkably similar ones. In the case of Horst and Switch, it was mostly the latter. They were both smart asses.

"Alright you two, enough. That's it for training today." Shaax said, and Horst bowed slightly to his mentor. "However, I do have a surprise for you. Follow me." Shaax motioned toward the automatic sliding door of the training room, and the two walked out. They found themselves in a hallway largely comprised of concrete and granite, with white circular lights in the center of the ceiling every fifteen feet or so. The hallway had six training rooms in total, three on either side, and ended at an elevator. The Training Floor was relatively small, but this tended to happen near the top of the Tower. Shaax hit the elevator call button, then turned around to face his apprentice as they waited for the car to come up.

"Do you remember that little fetch quest I had you do, running around down in Africa?" Shaax asked, and Horst nodded wearily. THAT had been quite the mission. Find Light-reactive metals deep in the jungles of Africa, where a Hive seeder had landed eons ago. As corpses are wont to do, the Hive that had been transported with the inactive seeder had taken exception to Horst and Switch bumbling around their graves.

"I do, master. I also remember finding out how squishy an Ogre's brain is." A towering Hive abomination, Ogres were multi-eyed behemoths that even the Exalted Hive couldn't control. Similar in size and reputation to the ancient Cyclops, these fifteen foot tall monsters shot beams of energy from their clusters of eyes, and had the strength to tear a building apart. Horst had punched one in the face after falling twenty feet.

"The Fist of Havoc is meant to do widespread damage, but it can be focused on a single point. But I digress," Shaax said with a wagging finger. "The materials you provided, along with the motes of Light you've gathered in your travels, have allowed me a unique opportunity to revive some of the older techniques of the Titans, back when we first wielded the Light."

The elevator chimed gently, and the double doors opened, allowing the two Guardians to step inside. A holographic projection of the Tower appeared, and Shaax tapped the top. The doors closed, and the only sign that they began to move was the quiet whirring Horst could hear around them.

"So, are we talking a new technique, some new armor, a new gun? Suspense and theatrics aren't like you, master." Horst prodded, earning another laugh from Shaax.

"That is true, my student. But today calls for a little bit of drama. I haven't created something like this since the first of the Bladedancers. But I won't spoil it now." Shaax waved off his prodding, and another gentle chime indicated that they had reached their destination. The elevator opened up into an open courtyard at the top of the Tower, a sight that Horst had seen many times, and appreciated every time he visited. In the distance, the Traveler loomed over a bustling city, the mid day sun glancing off of the large white orb. Despite the fact that it hadn't moved or spoken in centuries, the Traveler still held itself aloft above the City. The walls on the perimeter were colossal and airtight, with Guardians as well as regular soldiers patrolling at all times. The Tower itself, the home of all Guardians, loomed high over the City from the southern wall. A hangar took up much of the left side of the top of the Tower, but a busy marketplace dominated the main floor. Banshee-44, an Exo gunsmith born in the Golden Age, hawked his weapons and wares in between bouts of forgetfulness. Master Rahool, a blue skinned Awoken clad in robes, offered the services of the Cryptarchs, a gathering of Warlocks that sought the secrets left behind from the Golden Age. A few androids were there as well, staffing the Bounty tracker for any harder to kill targets, and the Postmaster, a nervous little robot dedicated to making sure all packages arrived on time.

Shaax and Horst crossed the marketplace quickly, their large forms parting the bustling activity of Guardians, citizens, and vendors as life went on as usual. The business of holding back the Darkness was lucrative to the lucky few that stockpiled weapons, ammunition, and Glimmer: a source of programmable matter that was used as an energy source prior to the collapse. Nowadays, Glimmer was used as currency, since creating weapons was not as efficient as finding them. Shaax and Horst made their way to the right, towards the residential area of the Tower. Down a couple flights of steps and through a hallway, master and student found themselves in another courtyard, one with a small observatory built into it. Scattered mutterings could be heard from within the observatory, and the two Titan crossed the iron gangway that led to the Office of the Speaker. An impossibly large gyro sphere took up most of the room, a rotating rack of instruments and computers that were largely pointed at the Traveler. Books and data files were scattered about in neat but ever present piles, and a flight of stairs curled up the left side of the room. Shaax and Horst climbed the stairs slowly, and found the person that could be loosely considered the current leader of humanity: the Speaker.

The man before them wore simple white robes, with gray and silver undertones at his arms and legs. His mask concealed his face entirely, and a faceted silver and black face plate stood out from his black hood. The Speaker had lived for hundreds of years, communing and observing the Traveler in hopes that it would wake once again. Despite its refusals, the Speaker was often the one to go to in terms of Light and Darkness, and was considered a mentor and leader to all. His desk was covered with complicated instruments and communication equipment, though Horst could also see a long, cloth covered object on the desk as well.

"Lord Shaax. I trust this is the Guardian you spoke so highly of." The Speaker said with an audible smile. His voice carried his age, though he always gave off a kind and caring air. Shaax nodded and stepped to the side so that the Speaker could appraise Horst.

"That he is. I've trained him as well as his own travels have shaped him. I figured a little reward was in order." Shaax said mysteriously as the two looked at Horst. In his early days, Horst would have fidgeted under the gaze of two of the most powerful men in the City. Now, he simply looked back at them in slight confusion.

"You two are definitely enjoying this little drama. I appreciate all the training and advice that you have given me, I don't see the need for a reward." Horst said modestly. Shaax and the Speaker looked at each other, and then shared a laugh.

"The essence of a Titan: giving without thought of reward. While we have tutored and guided you on your path, you have given us nothing but effort and resolve." The Speaker praised, and Shaax nodded in agreement.

"Tell me, Horst: what is my philosophy on the doctrines of the Titan?" Shaax asked with a gesture, and Horst stood a little bit straighter as the elder Titan's teachings came to mind.

"The Striker, a fist from above. The Defender, a shield against which the Darkness breaks. The Sunbreaker, a command of the battle through fire and death. All of them have their strengths, but every doctrine has its weakness. Thus, they are strongest when combined." Horst said with conviction, and Shaax nodded. Horst had mastered the ways of the Striker and the Defender before he had approached Shaax for tutelage, and the Crucible master had instructed Horst to seek out the Sunbreakers: a mercenary tribe of Titans capable of wielding Solar light and a weapon synonymous with victory: the Hammer of Sol. A weapon created entirely of Light, the Hammer of Sol was a fiery creation that exploded on impact, allowing Sunbreakers to hurl explosive Light all over their enemies. The Solar Light imbued them with energy, and made it harder to kill them as well. Once Horst had returned, the Hammer of Sol at his command, Lord Shaax had agreed to train him in earnest. Once under Shaax's relentless tutelage, Horst had been forced to break down the rigid barriers that separated the three doctrines, and merged them into one broad strategy.

"That is correct, my student. And in this merging, I felt that you needed a weapon to remind you of this harmony." As Shaax said this, the Speaker turned around and lifted the cloth covered item with reverence, before turning and facing Horst again. Whatever the weapon was, it was nearly five feet in length, and shaped oddly for a firearm. As Horst watched, Shaax removed the cloth slowly, and all thoughts of bullets left Horst's mind.

In the Speaker's hands was a beautiful sword. A silver blade stretched elegantly from a golden hilt, the blade itself almost a foot thick and tempered to take a hammering. It was a one-sided blade, the other side broad and designed to block and allow its wielder to reinforce strikes with an additional hand if necessary. On the broad side, a brilliant white gem gleamed from the cross guard, its surface swirling like a cloud as it contained the Light within. Horst stepped forward hesitantly, but with more confidence as Shaax stepped to the side. He grasped the grip of the blade firmly and lifted it from the Speaker's hands, marveling at how light and balanced it was. The grip was wide enough for a two handed grip, but it was light enough to be wielded in one hand if necessary. Horst gazed at the weapon in wonder, then slid it across his back. As it slid downward, Switch materialized half of a scabbard into the armor, giving the bade a secure place to rest. With a satisfying click, Horst released his new sword and rolled his shoulders. It felt good.

"I can't even begin to tell you two how grateful I am." Horst said, still shocked at the generosity of his master and the Speaker. "There's nothing I could have done to deserve this honor, and I thank you for it." Shaax waved off his gratitude.

"We told you, Horst. You have fought the Darkness for years now, and we are arming you for the fights ahead. It was something you have deserved for quite some time, we only just now had the time and resources to complete it. I know you will take care of that blade." Shaax tilted his head in what was interpreted as an amused grin. "But you owe that sword a name."

Horst turned his head to glance back at his beautiful sword, and no name jumped out at him. Naming a weapon personified it, and put in words everything you hoped to accomplish with it. He was tasked to describe in very few words what the sword embodied, and at this point he could not come up with anything.

"If it's all the same to you, masters, I'd like to test it before coming up with a name." Horst said with a bow. Lord Shaax laughed and clapped him on the shoulder, the blow from the larger Titan almost enough to knock him over.

"That's exactly what I wanted to hear. I knew that I had made the right choice in taking you on as an apprentice." The large Crucible handler then turned to the Speaker, as did Horst. "Thank you for assistance in this matter, your Grace. I couldn't have imbued the blade with enough light without your help." Shaax said formally, and bowed to the Speaker. The man returned his bow graciously.

"I was happy to help, Lord Shaax. It isn't every day I get to dabble in the life of a legend." The Speaker said, and turned back to his instruments. Whether he meant Shaax or Horst, neither Titan knew, but it was high praise either way. Together, master and pupil made their way back down the stairs and toward the training room.

When they reentered the Training Room, Shaax walked over to the far side of the room and called up a holographic console. Several keyboards and a display appeared, and the large Titan began setting up a training exercise. While he did that, Horst unsheathed his new sword from his back, and Switch materialized in front of him.

"What do you think, Switch? Isn't it awesome?" The Ghost examined the blade carefully as Horst held it out, scanning it to both observe its quality and save its make-up if he ever had to re-materialize it. When he finished, Switch floated back up to eye level.

"It's definitely an impressive blade, but I don't see how a sword is going to be useful in a time where _everyone_ has a gun." The Ghost replied honestly. Horst was about to retort, but was interrupted by a chuckle from Shaax.

"Your answer is likely derived from your experiences with Hive Knights and Fallen Vandals that your Guardian has killed without pause. You have never faced an opponent armed with one of my blades." Shaax finished his modifications and closed the console, prompting a training dummy to appear in the center of the room, next to Horst. Switch de-materialized and took up his rightful spot inside of Horst's head, and the Titan stood in a ready stance, his feet shoulder width apart with his left foot forward. He bent his knees and leaned forward slightly, his weight already on the balls of his feet if he had to run or dodge to the side. The dummy in front of him began to change as Shaax's modifications took hold, and the hard light construct soon took on the appearance of Horst. The copy of Horst rolled its neck, and then grabbed an auto rifle of unknown make out of mid air.

"I will answer your question first, Switch: what good is a sword against a gun? The answer: very, if you know how to use it." Shaax said as he walked the perimeter of the ring with his hands behind his back. Without warning, the training dummy shouldered its rifle and fired at Horst, projectiles of hard light coming at him at blinding speeds. Horst rolled to his left, keeping the blade up and at his center to prevent any accidents. It wasn't difficult, but it made the roll more cumbersome and slower than he'd have liked.

 _This will take some getting used to._ Horst thought grimly as he gained his feet. The dummy sighted on him to fire again, but stopped at Shaax's direction.

"Think of the blade as you do your other weapons. It is an extension of yourself in two respects: it is a weapon that moves and reacts as you do, and it is an channel for your light. Think Defender, and try to block the attack." Shaax held a hand up and snapped his fingers, and suddenly the dummy fired. Thinking quickly, Horst brought his sword up horizontally and shift a hand behind the dull edge of the blade, as if he were to block an incoming strike. He channeled the Light he would normally reserve for Defender techniques, and suddenly a small Void shield appeared in front of him, a purple barrier of Light that absorbed the bullets for him. In response to his Light, the gem in the cross guard turned a deep purple. The shield held for another moment before Horst's concentration broke and he dropped the blade back down to a two-handed grip. The shield had drained him somewhat, but it was nowhere near the effort of erecting a full Ward of Dawn like Defenders were trained to do.

"Whoa. That was cool." Horst stated in amazement, and Shaax clapped in approval.

"Your first time trying it and you make a shield. Well done. Now, let's see what else you can do. Attack, and think Solar energy." Shaax instructed, and Horst did not hesitate. Channeling the Light meant for his fire based Sunbreaker attacks, Horst closed the distance between himself and the training dummy. The dummy fired, but Horst side stepped the rounds and held the blade low beside him, sharp edge pointed toward the dummy. When he got close enough, a vicious uppercut slashed the training dummy in half, dispelling the hard light construct with a blaze of fire that seemed to add even more power behind the swing. Again, he felt a slight drain on his personal energy reserves, but nothing in comparison to summoning his Hammer of Sol. Horst looked down at his sword in amazement, watching the gem burn bright orange before returning to its cloudy white hue. Shaax called up another dummy, the same as the last, and situated it several paces away from Horst.

"Now that you have attacking and defending figured out, it's time to mix things up. I want you to strike the dummy without getting near it." Shaax said with a devious undertone. Horst looked at him for a moment, and then took a moment to think. They had already used Void Light and Solar Light, which only left...

Before he had time to plan any further, the dummy opened fired, catching him off guard. Horst blocked the rounds as he had before, then spun and slashed the air horizontally. As he did, a sparkling arc of lightning jumped from the blade, slicing the training dummy in two before continuing on into the wall, leaving a black scorch mark four feet long. Horst smiled underneath his helmet at the accomplishment; the sword was simply incredible! While he was attached to the various weapons he had found in his adventures, this sword was very likely to become his new favorite.

"Well done, Horst. You've taken what I've taught you to heart, and applied it to your swordplay. Now I have no doubt you deserve that blade." Shaax stepped into the ring and clapped his student on the back, nearly causing him to drop the still unnamed blade.

"You had doubts before?" Horst asked with an invisible grin, and earning a chuckle from Shaax.

"No, and I don't think I ever will. But the question remains: what will you call it?" Horst thought hard as he looked down, his armored reflection blurry in the folded metal of his sword. It was unique in many ways, but Horst wanted a name that reflected its ability to channel all three forms of Light, both as a testament to the blade's power and a tribute to his mentor. And suddenly, a name came to him.

"How about... Chimera?" Horst offered. Switch appeared beside him as the Ghost and Shaax mulled the name over a bit. The larger Titan nodded several times.

"Yes, the mixture of three beasts. I like it. Chimera! Such a good name!" Shaax said enthusiastically, and Horst felt a surge of pride at his mentor's praise. Shaax was far from a coddling mentor, but he was not without an uplifting manner. That, and praise from a Titan as accomplished as Lord Shaax would make any Guardian grin. Switch looked between the two Titans, and sighed dramatically.

"It's a good name, I suppose. You organics and your theatrics. I can't physically throw up in my mouth, but-" Switch was knocked from his good natured ribbing by the pommel of Chimera, nearly sending the Ghost to the ground as it blinked rapidly. "Alright, alright! It's a good name. Sheesh, can't take a joke around here." Switch complained as he de-materialized. Horst returned Chimera to his back with pride. He looked at Shaax, and saw a hand extended to him from the large warrior. Horst grasped his teacher's forearm without hesitation and shook it firmly, trying to convey his gratitude for all that Shaax had done into one gesture.

"I can't even begin to repay you for all you've done for me, master." Horst said with great humility. Shaax nodded at first, then sighed and released Horst's arm, placing a hand on his shoulder instead.

"You can start by no longer calling me master." Shaax said with some measure of sadness in his voice. At Horst's sudden jerk of alarm, Shaax held up a hand. "I don't say this in a bad way; there is simply nothing more for me to teach you. I haven't fought with a blade in a long time, so I would be a poor teacher when compared to experience. Everything else that you can learn won't come from me." Horst nodded slowly, not fully accepting Shaax's words. It had been months since Shaax had agreed to teach him, and the two had bonded over that time, as masters and students do.

"I understand, mas- Lord Shaax." Horst corrected himself. "I don't know of anyone else that has given me so much, even the Traveler."

"Continue on this path, and you'll have your own students. And you have earned the right to just call me Shaax. After so much time spent as your master, I am proud to consider you my equal. In everything except good looks, anyway." The two Titans shared a laugh at that, and Shaax released Horst's shoulder. It was an end of an era, but Horst knew that the future was ever brighter. Together, the two walked out of the Training Room.

Weeks passed, and with it so did hundreds of the Darkness' forces. Fallen, Hive, Cabal, Vex; it did not matter. Horst's proficiency with Chimera reached the point where he would only carry the blade and a sidearm into battle. He would cleave his way through scores of enemies, alternating between the three styles Titans used and inflicting heavy losses upon his enemies. In his travels, he assisted a few other Guardians in liberating a bunker from the Fallen that belonged to the Warmind Rasputin, an A.I. that had once been responsible for the defense of all mankind. After they had fought off numerous waves of the pirates, Rasputin had been kind enough to let them go free, and had even offered a map of the galaxy from the Golden Age, with a list of many colonies at the time.

It was after this discovery that the Vanguard saw fit to call on Horst, who found himself stand at the large table where the Vanguard planned their moves. The Vanguard command was comprised of three people: Ikora Rey, Cayde-6, and Commander Zavala. Ikora Rey was a dark skinned human female with short, dark hair, and she was the representative of the Warlocks to the Vanguard. She had been alive during the Golden Age, and had survived long enough to be chosen by a Ghost, instead of the normal resurrection process most Guardians went through. Cayde-6 was an Exo male, and his quick wit represented the Hunters. He had stalked the Cosmodrome for years before being selected (enlisted) to lead in the Vanguard. His efforts in the field had earned him great renown, though his biting tongue and somewhat lazy approach to things almost lost it. Commander Zavala was an Awoken male, bald with light blue skin and wearing a huge amount of armor. He represented the Titans, and was usually the one in control of the military might. His stoic and no-nonsense approach had saved the lives of countless people, but it also left him open to endless teasing from Cayde and Ikora. It was these three, the heads of the Vanguard, that stared at Horst now.

"We appreciate you answering us so quickly." Ikora started, and Horst nodded in return. Cayde snorted from behind Ikora.

"That's her way of apologizing for saying, 'get down here right now!'" The Exo snarked, earning a simmering glare from Ikora. Zavala cleared his throat, and the two focused their attention back on Horst.

"Regardless of how you were summoned here, the point is that we have a mission for you." As he said this, his Ghost pulled up a galaxy map similar to what Rasputin had gifted to Horst earlier that month, projecting millions of stars and planets over the table. "Rasputin's database corroborates with our own records on a possible colony from the Golden Age that may have survived the Collapse." As he said this, the map zoomed in on a quadrant of the Milky Way, focusing on a world not unlike Earth. The image held for a moment, and then faded to a grainier, two dimensional image.

"It seems that Rasputin was so grateful, he included a recent image taken from three months ago." Zavala explained. In the image, the planet looked largely the same, with only one inconsistency: the moon had been nearly destroyed, with fragments of it floating in orbit like a dandelion in the wind.

"Oh yeah. The moon blown half to hell. Definitely means that things are okay down there." Cayde offered his input, much to Zavala's ire.

"The Speaker has detected a modicum of Light from this planet with his instruments, more so than a single stray Guardian could generate. The chances are slim, but we could possibly have allies out there that survived the war with the Darkness." Ikora added, allowing the two males of the Vanguard to glare at each other.

"Still though, the farthest I've ever traveled is within the solar system. It would take quite some time the reach a place like that with a warp drive." Horst said, examining the planet's position relative to Earth. This caused Cayde to chuckle and turn towards him.

"It's funny you mention time. You see, me and Ikora were thinking-"

"Going insane." Zavala muttered.

"THINKING that you could mosey on down to the Vault of Glass and manipulate one of their Time Gates and get there much more quickly." Cayde said with a shrug. Ikora nodded in confirmation, and Horst scratched the chin of his helmet.

"When the other Guardians took down Aetheon, they had to manipulate time and space itself to maintain a hold on the relic that kept them alive." Ikora continued. "With less... stressful conditions and no Vex to counter you, we have ample reason to believe that your Ghost could manipulate the Gate enough to shave a significant portion of time off of your travel. Otherwise, you'd float through space for years." She finished.

"Or, you could be thrown into the middle of the Collapse and killed." Zavala growled, and he did so again when Cayde threw a pencil at him.

"Whatever you decide, it's up to you. It is a mission, granted, but we leave up to you on how to proceed." Ikora said gently as Zavala proceeded to put Cayde in a headlock, smacking the struggling Hunter a few times before letting him go. Horst looked at Ikora for a long while, then to the map where the colony was located. It was a long shot, fraught with uncertainty and peril, and it was unlikely to succeed. Still, the alternative was to spend years floating in his ship, with only Switch for company...

"I hear Venus is nice this time of year."


	2. Chapter 2

**Chapter 2**

* * *

The Vault of Glass remained open since the Guardians that had stormed it had walked out. The Templar's Well no longer echoed with the roars of the Vex's great champion, and the Gorgon's Labyrinth stood empty of its monsters. When Horst reached the Glass Throne, he was almost disappointed that no great beast had risen up to challenge him. The remains of Aetheon, Guardian of Time, laid over in a corner, as still and bullet ridden as the day the Guardians had defeated it. The two Time Gates that had been used sat dormant, with Switch circling each one. The little Ghost's gaze examined every fractal and string of light that danced near the bronze rings that had once transported machine and man across the waves of time itself. The Gates also had no problem crossing space, hence why they were there.

"What do you have, Switch?" Horst asked, already bored with kicking Aetheon's eye around the room. Well, really it had fallen down the hole in the center of the room, but they had things to do.

"I've examined the remains of Aetheon in an attempt to discover some form of control scheme, but so far it looks like you just input the directions and go. The only problem is, these directions are written in algorithms that I've never seen before, using math that seems impossible. It's going to take me a while to break the encryptions." The Ghost paused for a moment. "Done. Now then, I'll just input the star charts, take into account for planetary orbit..." While Switch tinkered with the Time Gate, Horst walked back over to his ship, the Iron Symphony. The golden-colored blockade runner was shaped like an arrow, and sported two cannons under each wing. It was blocky and heavy, but it had fit into the Glass Throne easily once Switch had transmatted it in. The ship had carried him all over the solar system once he had won it from a Fallen representative of the House of Judgment. A rumble echoed throughout the Glass Throne as Switch finished the last few modifications, and Horst climbed into the pilot seat. The Time Gates were too small to accommodate Iron Symphony, so they were going to use the same doorway that Aetheon had used when it had appeared to challenge the Guardians that had defeated it. A smattering of beeps indicated that Switch had taken his place in Horst's head. Ahead of Iron Symphony, lights twinkled in the darkness before a swirling disk of light opened up, easily three times larger than the ship itself.

"Ready to go, Switch?" Horst asked. The Ghost's voice echoed in his head, where only he could hear.

 _"All set. Just try not to run into the abstract floating glass structures of compressed time and energy."_ Switch said cheerily. Horst paused for a moment, then rolled his eyes. Technically, he only lived...twice? Whatever.

"Let's do this." With that, he pushed the throttle forward, sending the ship and its passengers into a portal that defied the laws of space and time. Unlike traveling with a warp drive, which looked as if the stars were rushing past, there was bright flash of light, and suddenly the Iron Symphony was gone, displaced across a galaxy in the span of a few seconds. Light bloomed brightly in front of the canopy, forcing Horst to shield his eyes as space was bent and warped to allow for their passage. As such, Horst wasn't prepared for the sudden appearance of the shattered moon in front of him. The chunks of rock hovered in front of Iron Symphony, forcing Horst to dodge wildly to avoid a very short mission failure. As he maneuvered his ship through the debris field, Horst fought the controls and the gravity of the planet beside him, even as his ship struggled to combat the forces enacted upon it. Iron Symphony was battered by dust and debris, but thankfully dodged around the rocks and larger chunks. The pulse pounding game of dodge or be crushed went on for roughly thirty seconds, before Horst finally won free of the debris field.

"You didn't tell me we were going to be thrown into the moon!" Horst snarled. Switch materialized into the cockpit, and winced as sheepishly as a Ghost was capable.

"There was some margin for error. At least we didn't appear in the core!" Switch said cheerily. Horst pulled Iron Symphony into a controlled descent and looked at the Ghost.

"That was a possibility? I though the Vex were supposed to be infallible death machines." Horst said worriedly. Switch shook his whole body in a negative.

"On the contrary. While I was messing with the Gate, there was a record of nine million, three hundred thousand, and twenty two instances where Vex units teleported into the core of a planet and were crushed into oblivion!" Switch's attitude was really grating on Horst's nerves, but he had more important things to worry about. Namely, the planet they had successfully traveled to. As Iron Symphony neared the bright blue planet, Horst began punching in commands on his console, pinpointing his location and searching for the nearest comm buoy. While his instruments did their thing, the Titan brought the Iron Symphony into the atmosphere. The canopy twinged orange as his ship heated up, but it was far below the ship's limits.

"Switch, start scanning for any communications, friendly or not. Also, see if you can pick up any sources of Light." Horst ordered. Switch nodded, his eye blinking rapidly and his facets spinning as he worked. While the Ghost attempted to track down any sign of civilization, Horst piloted Iron Symphony down to the surface of the planet. As the clouds parted, green forest expanded in front of them as far as Horst could see. He pulled back on the throttle and leveled off, allowed Iron Symphony to gently glide to the surface of the planet. Trees brushed past as far as the eye could see, and Horst slowed them down to a speed where he could drop down. Once they were low enough, Switch transmatted them down to the surface, displacing Guardian and Ghost from the somewhat cramped confines of the Iron Symphony to five feet from the grass covered ground of the forest in a shower of light. As they landed, the Iron Symphony started climbing back into the sky to return to orbit, where they could transmat back to it in case things got messy.

"I've got a large concentration of Light to the south, but it's displaced and scattered. There are a lot of sources jumbled together. As for communications, I've tapped several low band transmissions with little to no encryption. They appear to be civilian transmissions, with many referencing a place known as 'Beacon'." Horst nodded. That confirmed a presence of Light and people, which meant that the Vanguard's hunch about a functioning colony weren't off. The Titan turned toward the south and started walking.

The forest was a pleasant change of pace, considering that he'd spent nearly twenty years wandering the wastelands of the Sol system. In every locale, the Darkness had seeped into everything, killing off a large portion of plant life and nearly all of the indigenous wildlife. On top of that, the Fallen's attempts to convert any materials they scavenged into a form of sustenance further defaced Earth and Venus. The presence of a wide and prosperous forest, not to mention tweeting birds, was a good change of pace. However, something seemed off as he crept closer to the giant source of Light. Years of being surrounded by Darkness dulled a Guardian's natural ability to sense the evil stuff. With so much peace and serenity, the absence of the oppressive force made it easy for Horst to sense the three approaching creatures to his rear.

Horst drew Chimera and turned to face the opposition, and was slightly surprised to see three creatures, entirely black except for their claws, teeth, and the strange white masks that covered their snouts. They were nearly six feet tall, and looked a lot like the werewolves of Golden Age mythology. The three creatures snarled, but hesitated to attack. The ambient feeling of dread meant that these were creatures of the Darkness, but for the first time in a long while, Horst was dealing with an enemy he was unfamiliar with.

"Switch, scan the transmissions and try to identify what we have here. I've never seen anything like these creatures." Horst ordered, holding Chimera in front of him in a two-handed grip.

 _Affirmative._ Switch responded, and he could hear beeping and twittering as the Ghost scanned the nearby communications for information on his lupine enemies. Said creatures, however, weren't willing to wait any longer. The wolf on the right snarled and charged forward, its claws ready to rend Horst in half. The Titan held up his blade in a guard like he would if he wanted to put up a Void shield. The first slash was deflected soundly, as were the three other cuts that the wolf sent towards him. As the fourth one glanced off his cross guard, the creature leaned forward unexpectedly and latched its teeth into Horst's chest plate. Or rather, it tried to. As its teeth came in contact with his chest plate, and thus his Light barrier, it rebounded off of him and fell backwards. Horst's Light meter at the top of his HUD showed that his Light had barely been depleted by what was clearly supposed to be a savage attack. Even the wolf's strongest attack barely hurt him.

"Oh, this will be fun." Horst said with a predatory grin, and slung Chimera back onto his back. The wolf got back to its feet, and its two pack members swooped in to overwhelm the Titan. Horst planted his feet and stood, chest thrust out to best take the incoming strikes. The wolves savaged him, claws and teeth flashing as they gave him his absolute best. His Light barrier absorbed every hit, and by the time a lull came in the assault, he had barely lost a quarter of his energy. As the wolf on the left reared back for another strike, Horst's gauntlet covered hand wrapped around its throat in an iron grip. The wolf yelped in surprise, which was quickly cut off as Horst crushed its windpipe. The Titan cocked a fist back and clobbered the wolf right in its mask covered snout, sending the mortally crippled wolf flying into the underbrush, its corpse smoldering as it returned to the Darkness.

The other two wolves leaped at him. Horst's Light barrier had already replenished, and he took one hit from the first wolf to reach him in order to get his arms around its neck. A savage twist broke its neck, and he pushed its dead body away in time to catch the final wolf in mid air, carrying the creature over his head and into the ground. The wolf rolled over on the ground, dazed, and gave Horst enough time to mount it at chest level and rain blows on the wolf's head until there was nothing left but a red and white mush. Three targets, and he had barely broken a sweat. But the presence of the Darkness was concerning. Horst stood up from his mount, content that the twitching and slowly disintegrating victim to his one man punch party was down for good.

"Switch, any updates?" He called to the thin air. The Ghost appeared at his shoulder, then swooped towards the smoldering corpse of his most recent kill. Switch scanned it as much as he could, but the wolf had mostly disintegrated inside of a minute. When he finished, the Ghost flew back up to Horst's eye level.

"Local sources indicate that these are creatures of Grimm, a common terminology for what appear to be primitive or basic embodiments of the Darkness. This species in particular is called a Beowulf. They are a low threat, unless you are a civilian." Switch paused. "We seem to be near an institution where people of this planet are trained to fight Grimm." Horst crossed his arms in thought. An academy for fighting the Darkness? It was a renewable resource of Guardians, which up until this point were a dwindling supply of beaten, broken warriors. It definitely warranted further investigation.

"Record everything we see from here on out and save it. Anything goes wrong here, and we can at least transmit our findings to the ship. From there, the Vanguard should be able to pull our data if necessary." Horst said to his companion. Switch tittered and whirred for a second, then nodded.

"All done. I'll stay up for now, and I'll give you a layout of the area." Switch de-materialized and his voice began to echo in his head. Apparently, the Ghost had found an information hub in his search for an explanation on the Beowulf he had fought earlier.

* * *

According to the information hub, the residents of Remnant had arisen from apparently nothing. However, the Darkness was already present on this planet, and manifested in the form of the creatures of Grimm: large, deformed creatures mimicking monsters from ancient folklore. It seemed that this collective of Darkness fed on negative emotions, such as fear, anger, and greed. In order to coax out the maximum amounts of these emotions, the Darkness embodied monsters of legend. As the history goes, humanity wielded Light and a substance referred to as Dust; it appeared to be elementally charged Glimmer, often used in the construction of weapons and ammunition as humanity fought off the creatures of Grimm. These humans were referred to as Huntsmen and Huntresses, wielding their Light and using unique abilities known as Semblances to hold off the creatures of Grimm. With the use of Dust and Light, often referred to in the text as Aura, humanity solidified its power in four Kingdoms: Vale, Atlas, Vacuo, and Mistral. Horst and Switch had landed in Vale, nearby a prestigious combat school that trained Huntsmen: Beacon Academy. After consolidating power, the four Kingdoms went to war with each other, no surprise there. The war ended with losses, but no clear winner or loser. However, the Light that protected humanity had seemed to have created a side effect in some humans, similar to the Awoken. Referred to as Faunus, there were some people that had developed traits and appendages of animals. Images of men and women with cat ears, monkey tails, and other traits indicated that the changes were more pronounced than the Awoken. Apparently, the changes had been drastic enough to warrant discrimination from the human population, a fate the Awoken seemed to have avoided when they fled to the stars. A war for equality erupted, with the Faunus fighting for equal treatment. The war ended in peaceful accord, but the Faunus were still treated poorly across the four Kingdoms. As it stood, the Vytal Festival, a gathering of all four Kingdoms held every two years, was a major lynch pin in maintaining peace between the Kingdoms. There was no obvious animosity at the time, but the start of a war could sprout up in the Vytal Festival. And it just so happened to be held in Vale this year.

This was the information Switch provided as Horst walked south toward Beacon. It made sense, with the exception of the origin story. Had the Darkness destroyed their history, only for humanity to reemerge alive and unharmed. The Faunus and Semblances were deviations, but potent energy such as Light had altering capabilities. The fact that every person on Remnant had an Aura reinforced that point. Horst and Switch agreed: they needed to set up contact with the Vanguard right away. And the best way to do that was the Central Communication Hub in Vale. The only way to access that, however, seemed to be contact with the authorities. Considering that, their best approach would be the school.

Two hours of walking and an encounter with a bear-like creature, called an Ursa, found Horst lifting his way up the side of a cliff. Using his Light, the Titan was afforded an ability that lifted him into the air several meters at a time. It made his ascent slow but sure work. When he finished his climb, Horst found himself in a large courtyard, with trees and sidewalks arranged in a way the made the pedestrian focus on Beacon. And what a school it was.

There were several large buildings, all done in white marble and supported with columns. Several alabaster spires stretched towards the sky from the tops of each structure. In the background, a large clock tower climbed high into the sky, with five emerald lights shining from the top. It was an elegant design, but clearly meant for observation as well. The fact that the school was built on a plateau surrounded by endless forest dictated that a military mind had built the place. A few children – a rarity in the City – noticed Horst standing in the courtyard and started whispering. A couple took out what looked like personal communicators and snapped some pictures, which Switch was keen on erasing as soon as they were taken. Horst walked further into the school's grounds, certain that the proper authorities would approach as long as he caused enough noise. While he waited for a teacher or some form of security to accost him, Horst took in the beauty of the academy. The ponds and gardens were carefully tended to, and granted a peaceful atmosphere that was often hard to find in the Sol system, even within the depths of the City. Whether it be stone, glass, or flora, there were so many sources of vibrant color that it surprised the weathered Titan. Horst felt at peace here, a sentiment he hadn't enjoyed in a long time. He sat on a stone bench, enjoying the peace and quiet a Guardian seldom had in the wastelands of the Golden Age.

All too soon, his peace was interrupted by a quiet slurp. To his left, a man in a black fitted suit and vest stood as if he had always been there, one hand holding a cup of tea, another resting on a cane that clearly served some other purpose besides assisted walking. The man had shaggy gray hair, and a small pair of spectacles dangling precariously at the end of his nose. A forest green scarf was wrapped around his neck. To Horst's right, a blonde woman stood resolutely, ready to react should he try anything. Her hair was tightly controlled in an intricate bun. She wore a buttoned white blouse that failed to hide a somewhat generous bust, and a smart black skirt with black stockings and buttoned boots. A purposefully tattered cape hung around her shoulders, and a pair of glasses sat in front of golden, narrowed eyes. From their stance, it was clear the man with the cane was the superior. So, Horst turned left.

"Are you just going to stand there, or will you sit?" Horst offered. The man smirked at his attempt at humor, but remained standing. He sipped his tea one more time, and all three gazed out at the pond.

"My students have been abuzz with the 'armored robot' walking around campus. I came to see if their claims had any merit. Imagine my surprise when the rumors were true, instead of Mr. Arc stuck in a trash can again." The man's voice reminded Horst of Golden Age Britain, a refined and intellectual air hiding a more dangerous threat behind the man's eyes. It was clear that this man was very powerful, or thought himself as much.

"I'm here on assignment, though the circumstances are far fetched, and I'm admittedly out of my element here." Horst offered. The blonde woman remained silent, letting her superior do the talking. The man sipped his tea again, then accepted the Titan's offer to sit down. He sat to Horst's left, allowing enough space for social acceptance, his cane held between his legs with a hand resting on its handle.

"Far fetched circumstances are something of my expertise. However, I want to clear up one thing before we go any further: do you have any malicious intentions for my school?" The man asked. Horst snorted at that question, earning him a disapproving frown from the blonde woman.

"If I did, do you honestly think we'd be talking right now?" It was a fair answer, maybe a bit evasive, but enough for them to entertain further conversation. The man in the green suit stood up, and offered a hand to Horst. The Titan took it out of courtesy, standing a full head taller than the man. The size difference again put the blonde woman on edge, but her boss clearly had no such issues.

"Very well then. I suppose introductions are in order. I am Professor Ozpin, Headmaster of Beacon Academy. My assistant her is Glynda Goodwitch, my second in command. Welcome to our academy." Ozpin seemed sincere in his welcome, and Horst bowed a little out of respect.

"My name is Horst, but I believe that further introduction might be worth some... discretion." Horst turned his head left and right, and Ozpin got the message.

"Very well, we will continue this discussion in my office. Glynda, could you clear away the students before our large friend attracts a crowd?" Ozpin glanced around, noticing that several students were peering at them from behind columns, trees, and there was even one poor blonde knight that attempted to hide in the pond, except that it was too shallow to conceal him effectively. One slow, scanning glare from Goodwitch, and the area suddenly became barren of students. There was even a void in the pond where the blonde student had been hiding, as if the water was afraid to return to its natural form. With the students cleared out, the three adults made their way to the clock tower. The walk took some time, in which Horst noticed several students following them, one more dogged than the rest. A young girl with crimson hair and silver eyes, staying out of sight but unable to hide her Light. She followed them all the way to the staircase that led up to Ozpin's office, where she could no longer follow without being seen. Horst had a feeling they'd be seeing her again. The climb up the stairs went quickly, particularly when the staircase moved with them. It wasn't like an escalator, so much that each segment of stairs climbed a whole flight, like an ascending elevator every eight steps. They made it to the top in sixty steps, when the tower itself was enormous. Once at the top, Ozpin swiped his personal communicator on the door, which opened into a room that reminded Horst that they were in a clock tower. Massive gears turned in the walls, though no actual clock seemed to exist. The machinery continued upward in varying scales, with a glass ceiling high above their heads. It was dizzying to watch, and Horst forced himself to focus on Ozpin, who had seated himself in a chair with a clockwork motif, a description his desk shared.

The guy clearly liked clocks.

"Now that we're safe from prying eyes, maybe you could clear up these far fetched circumstances you mentioned." Ozpin said, setting his tea cup down on his desk. Only then did Horst notice the emblem decorating the white mug: two silver axes crossed over a ruffled circle. It was a mug Lord Shaax would have liked.

"Before I get into this unlikely story, allow me to introduce my other half. He's a little overzealous sometimes, but he's my closest friend. Switch?" As Horst finished, his Ghost materialized at his shoulder, his facets spinning gently as Glynda and Ozpin focused on him. The blonde woman gasped slightly at the Ghost's appearance, though Ozpin's only show of surprise was a raised eye brow.

"Beep boop. Greetings. I am a robo- ow! What was that for?" Switch asked indignantly, while Horst readied his finger for another flick.

"Behave. This is a first contact scenario." Horst chided. Switch glared at him, but then turned back to the two teachers. If his words concerned the two teachers, they did little to show it.

"My name is Switch, and I am a Ghost." He nodded to each of them, which they returned. And so, the two began their story, something I'm not going to repeat because I already explained it at the beginning of this story. The explanation carried over into the evening, the sun falling from the sky as Horst and Switch alternated between each other telling the story of the Traveler. Glynda and Ozpin asked a few questions here and there, but altogether remained silent until the tale was concluded. Switch ended the tale with their hypothesis on the Grimm and how the Faunus evolved, and the office finally fell silent, save for the curiously quiet gears that turned in the background.

"That is a lot to take in, especially for one evening." Ozpin said, breaking the silence. His normally stoic partner wore a wide-eyed expression, a testament to their tale's outlandishness. "However, your tale answers as many questions as it creates. Our origin on Remnant has always been a subject of debate, and Aura has never been fully explained beyond the manifestation of one's soul. That being said, I won't be so quick as to believe everything until I have had time to think it over. For tonight, I understand that your ship can provide a place to rest, but you are welcome to stay in the staff quarters. Many of our teachers haven't returned yet for the new semester, so there will be plenty of dorms available." Horst nodded at that. Ozpin would have been a fool to accept their story on word and projection alone, but the fact that he was at least open to the idea made his job worlds easier. Switch de-materialized, and Ozpin reached into a compartment in his desk, retrieving a personal communicator.

"I understand Switch can accomplish everything our scrolls can, but I must ask that you carry one regardless. The Vale government will be placated soon enough, but for right now you are a new instructor until things are ironed out with the authorities." He tossed the scroll to Horst, who caught the device deftly with one hand. The Titan looked down at the device for a moment, then placed it into a pocket above his greaves.

"I appreciate you two being so receptive. If I can access the Central Communications Tower, I may be able to get in contact with the Vanguard and corroborate my story. That being said..." For once on this mission, Horst hesitated. "Bringing the Guardians here would bring the Darkness here, with earnest. So if it's all the same to you, I'd like to wait some time before contacting them." Horst noticed a slight ease settling into Glynda's stance, and he could understand her point. Getting dragged into an alien war was not something an educator of children looked forward to. Ozpin nodded as well.

"I can see you are wiser than you appear, Titan. We will discuss this communication further at a later time. For now, I urge you to get some rest." Ozpin said, and turned his chair to face Glynda. Horst bowed and turned back to the stairs, leaving the Headmaster and his partner to discuss what was likely a troubling point. When the door closed, Glynda focused on the professor.

"That's quite a lot to take in. Are we sure this isn't all a ruse? His armor reminded me of the Atlesian Knights, and we never actually saw his face." Ozpin frowned and shook his head.

"No. Even the central A.I in the CCT isn't advanced enough to operate with such autonomy and personality. And the Ghost, Switch...there is no technology like that on Remnant. It is a lot to take in, but if they are telling the truth...the world just became much more complicated." Glynda huffed in agreement.

"I preferred it when we only had to worry about fighting monsters and waiting for Ironwood to come in swinging his-"

"Glynda."

"Sorry."

When Horst reached the bottom of the stairs, he found the student that had followed them earlier. In his haste to explain everything, he had forgotten about the little red head. She wore a standard Beacon uniform, with a black jacket, plaid red skirt, and black stockings with black shoes. Unlike many of the other students he had seen, she also wore a red hood and cape that trailed behind her, much like some Hunters he had worked with. What she did not resemble in said Hunters were her bubbly exuberance.

"Hi! Are you a new teacher here?" She asked curiously. Ozpin's cover for Horst while he was there was a visiting teacher, so it wasn't entirely against their agreed alias. As he looked at her excited face, he couldn't help but remember his own reaction to when Lord Shaax had agreed to mentor him.

"Yes, I am. I'm a bit new here, so I don't know everyone here yet." Horst said, and rubbed the back of his helmet covered head. "Who are you, young lady?"

The little girl grinned widely and bowed, her hood staying in place by design more than anything.

"My name's Ruby Rose, and I just started here too! We're supposed to start the new semester tomorrow, so our teams are still getting together." Ruby rubbed her head sheepishly at that, as if she needed an excuse to be back at Beacon early.

"Ah, Ms. Rose. Ozpin told me a little bit about you and your team, and your curious ability to find trouble when there seems to be none around." Ruby giggled nervously when he said that, but Horst wasn't being condescending. "Just because it's there, I think you should run into trouble. Otherwise, it may find someone less prepared than you." Horst beamed at her, though she couldn't see it for his helmet. Ruby smiled widely at that, and suddenly the whole teaching thing didn't seem a bad idea in the slightest.

"Thank you, sir! Everyone's always onto us about it, always telling us to be more careful and mind our own business. You're pretty cool, Professor..." Ruby faltered, and winced apologetically. "I'm sorry, I never asked your name."

"Professor Horst. I'll be assisting Professor Goodwitch with your combat classes." Now he was making it up as he went, but to be honest, if he had to pose as a teacher, he was best suited for combat training. What was he supposed to do, teach history about a planet he'd walked for less than a day?

"Well, I've got to get to the dorms. It was nice meeting you, Professor!" Ruby said energetically, and waved as she dashed down the hallway with lightning speed, leaving a trail of rose petals behind. Horst blinked at that, and realized that he had just witnessed a Semblance in action. It seemed Ruby's was super speed. This would definitely be an interesting lesson in the manipulation of Light.

"Now, to find the teachers' dorms..."

* * *

When morning came, Horst's scroll buzzed until he rolled over and shut off the alarm. Once the inane contraption stopped, the Titan stood and scratched his cheek, irritated by the stubble already growing on his chin. He was wearing his under suit, a simple blue bottom and top that, when disconnected, could pass for decent casual wear. His top actually flared out into a jacket of sorts, though he'd seldom used it in that form. Chimera leaned up against his armor, which was stacked neatly in a corner.

The teachers' dorms were dramatically undersold by Ozpin. Either that, or twenty years of sleeping on the ground had eroded Horst's tastes. He had rested on a soft king sized mattress with cushy pillows and a thick comforter designed to fight off the most bitter colds. A dark wooden table sat at the bed's side, where his scroll sat next to a small lamp. Across from him, a dresser sat empty, his only clothes on his back, and his armor in the floor. Horst walked past the armor and Chimera into the bathroom, which was also tastefully furnished.

White marble decorated the bathroom, and a full shower stood off from a porcelain toilet and a sink that sported a vanity mirror, allowing the Titan to appraise himself.

His skin was dark brown, with an almost leathery texture earned from being stuck in one of Mars' brutal sandstorms for weeks with a broken helmet. The storm had been cloaked in Darkness, preventing Switch from transmatting them home. It turns out that Ghosts find it difficult to focus on a person's atomic make up when that person is being battered on all sides by flying sand and rock, not to mention the smothering presence of the Darkness. Even if they had attempted to pull out, it was likely his body would have been transmatted to the ship with a helmet full of sand, and his head would have been left behind. It had taken nearly a month for Horst to track down the Vex Axis Mind and end it, allowing them to go home. Another feature of his face was earned from his travels: a large, pale scar ran from his forehead directly down across his right eye, which had lost all color, and continued down to just level with his mouth. A Fallen Captain had gotten in a lucky shot, but it hadn't been a severe enough strike to kill him and force him to regenerate. Switch had restored his eye sight, but the scar and his milky eye had remained. His head was bald, nothing but dark brown skin stretching across his dome. His blue eye gazed out from under thick black eyebrows, and his stubble was the same color. With the assistance of a shaving razor provided by the school, Horst was soon freed of his growing beard, leaving behind a clean shaven, grizzled old veteran. Despite the fact that he was immune to aging, Horst's face looked as if he was feeling the years.

"I look like hell." He said out loud. And sure enough, someone answered him.

"If it makes you feel any better, you can put the helmet back on." Switch suggested cheerfully from his shoulder. Horst stared at the little spark of Light through the mirror, then went about preparing his armor. Ozpin was due to call him into orientation and introduce him, and the students would start arriving in thirty minutes. After carefully polishing and checking his silver armor over for scratches or blemishes, Horst snapped the restraints into place until he was once again a towering entity of metal and muscle, Chimera secured on his back to add to the image. He carried his helmet under his arm, and walked toward his door. The dorm was supplied with a small kitchenette, but he wasn't really all that hungry yet. Long deployments had gotten Horst used to the stale protein bars the Vanguard supplied, as well as just going without when the tasteless squares were too much. He'd likely eat around lunch, but he just didn't feel the need so early in the morning.

Horst secured his helmet, and opened the door into the hallway. The staff was housed one floor above the students' dorms, so that they were still nearby in case of emergency. He closed the door quietly and secured his scroll in his hip pocket, then started walking towards to stairs. The main hall where Ozpin greeted students each year was difficult to miss, especially with Switch memorizing the entire area. When Horst entered the room, he found Ozpin and Glynda standing on the podium, with two other professors nearby. The first was a thin, green haired man, whose hair was spiked in all different directions. The man carried a thermos that seemed to be full of coffee, if his hurried speech and occasional twitches were any indication. The other teacher was a polar opposite. A squat man in a red suit, with a gray mustache and and eyebrows so thick they hid his eyes. Whereas the green haired professor seemed wired and jumpy, the portly one was perfectly at ease, chatting away in total comfort.

"Ah, our new combat instructor." Ozpin's did not raise his voice, but it silenced the other conversations in the room, an indicator of the respect the instructors had for the Headmaster. Horst reevaluated his opinion of the man; he spoke softly, but clearly his word was law. The Titan bowed at Ozpin's notice and stepped further into the room.

"Everyone, I would like you to meet Horst, a Guardian here under some very special circumstances." Ozpin declared, his ever present tea mug bouncing slightly as he waved his hand. "He brings some interesting points to us, and has provided some measure of proof to corroborate his story. While we handle the details, he will be assisting us and the students in the coming semester." Another sip of tea. "I trust that he will have much to share with us."

The two professors Horst had not met walked over to him, the green haired one making it to him a tad faster than his portly partner.

"Dr. Oobleck, at your service sir. I must say I'm very glad to meet you. The Headmaster has told us a little bit about you. I am shocked sir! Shocked I say! The thought of other people out in the cosmos was a total certainty, a mathematical inevitability, mind you, but that we are descendants of the same race is truly outstanding sir!" Oobleck spoke quickly and barely paused for breath, forcing Horst to process what he said for a moment. When he finally caught up to what the energetic doctor had said, Horst nodded.

"I see you're open to the idea at least. That's good." Oobleck suddenly disappeared to dash over to Ozpin's side, who watched the proceedings while calmly sipping his tea.

"Open to the idea? Of course I'm open to the idea! Before the formation of the four Kingdoms, humanity was largely nomadic in nature. Many tribes carried ancient texts and passed along words of wisdom from one elder to the next, all referencing a need to speak to the stars. These verbal histories were diluted as expected, but for years it's been considered a semi-religious reminder for the nomadic tribes to always look to the sky. Now, we finally have a reason: to restore communication! To think, we are the seeds of a great and fallen civilization, clawing at life as the war that destroyed our forebears rages on elsewhere! Absolutely riveting, I tell you!" Oobleck crossed the room several times in a green and beige blur, his long sleeved shirt already started to untuck from his belt as he whizzed around the room. The other teachers watched their energetic colleague zip around with calm expressions, clearly used to his antics.

"Dr. Oobleck is our history teacher here at Beacon, and he specializes in theory to explain the manifestation of Grimm. His studies have turned up some interesting questions that, until now, have gone unanswered. While your explanation fits to a degree, we will still reserve judgment until we can confirm your story." Professor Ozpin explained, his voice carrying over Oobleck's excited mutterings. Horst accepted the Headmaster's explanation, and took his place over near the short professor with bushy brows.

"Professor Port, at your service my good man." He introduced, offering a hand. Horst shook it firmly, noticing the strong grip the portly professor possessed.

"Pleased to meet you, Port. I'm Horst." The Titan started to ask Port about his post here at Beacon, but a large group of students entering the main hall attracted the attention of all the instructors. Port and Horst exchanged nods, and together they stood off to the side as students continued filing into the hall. Several noticed Horst's looming figure, and sure enough whispers echoed through the room as the new professor became the talk of the town. As he watched all the different children enter the hall, he noticed Ruby, as well as three other girls that he assumed was her team. The blonde knight from earlier, that had hidden in the pond, walked in right behind them with his own team. Ruby saw Horst and waved energetically, and Horst nodded in return.

When the students had congealed into a somewhat structured mob, Professor Ozpin cleared his throat in front of the microphone. The feedback silenced the many conversations rumbling through the room, turning all attention to the elder Headmaster.

"Greetings, students. It is good to see that you all survived your brief time away from Beacon." His joke caused a murmur of chuckles in the crowd, but it died down quickly enough. "With the new semester approaching, and the Vytal Festival Tournament on the horizon, you have had some time to train and integrate into your teams. Now that you are back, barring the incident in the mess hall yesterday..." Ozpin's gaze went towards Ruby's team and their friends, who all grinned sheepishly. "The new schedule can begin in earnest." Ozpin turned and nodded toward Horst, who took the sign and made his way up to stand beside the Headmaster, his size intimidating the students that had not yet seen him. It only took him a few seconds to climb the steps of the podium with his stride, but the weight of his steps caused an impressive thud to echo throughout the room as he made his way to Ozpin's side. The Titan stood with his feet shoulder width apart, his hands clasped behind his back. His full armor and gleaming metal added to his appearance as a giant paragon of combat. With Chimera across he back, Horst looked unstoppable.

"Teachers and instructors come and go from Beacon, and today I want you to meet our new combat instructor. His is a seasoned Huntsman, and his name is Horst. You will address him as Professor, or Titan Horst. He is here to make sure that you perform to your very best." Horst nodded in agreement with Ozpin's introduction, and then took his place beside Professor Port once again. The students focused on him a little while longer, until Ozpin spoke again.

"There will be opportunities for some Hunts later on this year, but for now you should familiarize yourselves with your teammates and rearrange your dorms. The school year has begun again. Welcome back." With that, Ozpin stepped away from the microphone in a clear sign of dismissal. Glynda followed behind him as the students burst into several pockets of frenzied conversation. Professor Port and Professor Oobleck left as well, but Horst stuck around the main hall. And sure enough, Ruby led her team over to him in a happy trample that nearly floored several other students.

"Professor Horst! It's good to see you again!" The red reaper cried eagerly. Her three teammates seemed less than sure at approaching the armored Titan, but Ruby had no such issues. Horst chuckled slightly and ruffled Ruby's hair, despite her struggle to stop him. The little redhead's strikes did nothing to move Horst's massive hand from her head.

"Hello again, Ruby. I assume that this is your team?" Horst said easily. The oldest of the team, a young woman with long, flowing blonde hair and purple eyes stepped forward towards him. She wore a brown jacket that opened below her already sizable bust, allowing an orange tube top to flow out. Her midriff was uncovered, but a pair of shorts underneath a skirt reminiscent of a hawk's tail feathers covered her thighs. A pair of orange socks and brown boots rounded off the outfit.

"My little sis has been talking nonstop about the new 'giant' teacher. I guess she was right." The blonde said with a grin. "My name's Yang, by the way." Horst could tell from her armored gauntlets and confident manner that this girl was definitely a brawler.

"Hello Yang. You're Ruby's big sister? I can only imagine how that was growing up." Ruby stuck her tongue out at the large Titan, who acted as if he didn't see it. The next girl, a dainty little thing with a white dress and matching heels and jacket, huffed at the sisters' actions. Her hair was put up in a ponytail that listed to one side, and a rapier with some sort of rotating magazine in the center sat on her hip. The back of her jacket was decorated with a large snowflake, and she carried herself with an air of grace reserved for nobility. When she felt his notice upon her, the heiress cleared her throat and bowed politely.

"Pleased to meet you, Professor. I'm Weiss Schnee." She said it politely, but her tone indicated that he should recognize her last name. Thankfully Switch had brought him up to speed on the main powers in Vale, one of them being the Schnee Dust Company and its many powers and troubles. Weiss was clearly in the line of succession, and with that position came responsibilities. He almost felt sorry for the young girl.

"And you as well, Ms. Schnee." Horst bowed politely. The final member of the team shied away from the conversation somewhat, but she didn't seem intent on abandoning it. It reminded Horst of a Hunter he had shared maybe two or three sentences with, yet the woman had kept his butt out of the fire for months before she had gone down into the Hellmouth of the moon and never returned.

The girl had a controlled mess of obsidian hair that cascaded down her shoulders, with a little black bow on top of her head. Her eyes were yellow and perceptive, drinking in every detail of the world around her. She wore a black vest that opened to reveal a white lined blouse. White shorts connected to black and purple gradient stockings, and buttoned boots rounded out her outfit. A sword was sheathed on her back, though the odd shape at the hilt implied another purpose. She was quiet and reserved, but she held herself with a certainty that Horst knew was earned in combat.

"This quiet member of our team is Blake Belladonna. She doesn't talk much." Yang said enthusiastically, earning a narrow eyed glare from Blake. Horst held up his hands in a placating manner.

"There's no need to rush introductions, Yang. Ms. Belladonna has all semester to acclimate to a new teacher. Besides, from what Ozpin has told me, you are all very capable for first year students." Horst said knowingly. Blake picked up on his meaning, but the extent to what Ozpin had said was a mystery. In reality, Ozpin had told him about team RWBY's unerring ability to find trouble, but had failed to elaborate on the individual members. Still, the Headmaster's focus on the first year team spoke volumes of their potential. With his original mission being the recruitment of new Guardians, teams like RWBY were definitely on his radar. Getting into trouble was the job description of any competent Guardian.

"I'm not nervous or anything, Titan Horst. I just..." She sighed and shook her head, before smiling slightly. "I'm Blake. We've heard a lot about you from Ruby." Her demeanor was quiet, yet confident. Horst could see that she was apprehensive around everyone else in the room from her behavior earlier, with the exception of her team and the blonde knight's team.

"It's nice to meet you, Blake. All of you seem like powerful, strong willed young Huntresses. I look forward to the coming semester to see what you ladies can really do." Yang and Ruby nodded enthusiastically at that, and even Weiss and Blake seemed to look forward to it as well.

"Oh, I can't wait for classes tomorrow!" Ruby cried excitedly. Horst chuckled ominously, earning an inquisitive look from RWBY's young leader.

"You may not think that after our training sessions are over. I have something special in mind." Horst's mystery did little to deter the Huntresses-in-training, and that earned a little respect in his eyes. Oh, the things they could accomplish under the tutelage of Lord Shaax and the Vanguard. But before that, he had to make sure Remnant was ready to be revealed to the rest of the galaxy, both friend and foe alike.

"Well, you ladies enjoy the rest of the day off. I'm afraid Ms. Goodwitch and I have a training regimen to discuss." Horst said, and bowed politely to the four young women and took his leave. As team RWBY discussed the coming year, Horst made his way out of the main hall and back to the staff quarters. There, he ran into Dr. Oobleck again, and had a rather one sided conversation over the possibilities of the ancient Remnant civilizations using Golden Age technology to fight off the Grimm. Once he finally won free from the energetic historian, who had gone to refill his thermos of coffee in time for lunch, Horst had sought out the training room where the students would practice combat, and Professor Goodwitch had predictably gone there as well. After discussing their plans for the next day, the Titan returned to his room. Once inside, he freed himself from his helmet and called up Switch, who flew around the room as if he were stretching his wings.

"From the defender of a dying City to school teacher for the incredibly gifted. You are a man of many hats, Horst." Switch said sardonically, earning a few pencils thrown in his direction. The Ghost dodged the writing utensils effortlessly, and continued as if the interruption had never happened. "I've compiled several data streams for the Vanguard, mostly Remnant's history and culture. The Iron Symphony will broadcast the data in timed bursts toward our solar system. It won't guarantee that the Vanguard will receive all of it, but it would take a Ghost to decrypt the data." Switch spun his facets lazily, eyeing up his Guardian as Horst shed his armor in favor of his blue jacket and fatigues. His black undershirt and armored boots remained, but he left his armor and Chimera stacked neatly in a corner, ready to be used if necessary. Switch transmatted the stack of gear, so that he could materialize it onto Horst if something drastic happened.

"I'm sure Master Rahool and the Cryptarchs would love the history of Remnant. If I could set up a communication channel with Earth, they and Oobleck would talk until the stars themselves burned out." Horst said with some mirth. Switch watched Horst turn around to leave the dorm, and flew to intercept him.

"Are you sure we're still on track here, Horst?" Switch asked honestly. The Titan stopped as he reached for the door, and considered his Ghost's words. This was a conversation he didn't really want to have.

"What do you mean?" Switch flew from the handle of the door to Horst's face, his facets spinning angrily.

"We're here to enlist allies in the fight against the darkness. Don't let this cushy teaching job distract you from the mission." Switch said flatly. Horst glared at his partner angrily, his hands curling into fists.

"The Darkness is here too, Switch. Or did you not see the monsters skulking in the forest, and the entire civilization built to fight them?"

"I saw them. I also remember the Vex, and the Fallen, and prediction from the Vanguard. Something else is coming, and it's our duty to defend the City!" Switch's words made Horst angrier.

"You think I've forgotten about the monsters that killed my friends? I remember the fight. But look around here, Switch. These kids aren't ready for a war across entire worlds. They're barely ready to fight a war on this planet!" Switch sighed at this and moved aside, but Horst didn't open the door.

"And what do you propose we do? Solve this world's problems, and return to find the City ransacked and the Vanguard obliterated? We'd come back just in time to save corpses." The Ghost pressed on. "Don't get too comfortable in this paradise away from Earth. Remember your oath to the City." Unfortunately, Switch had something of a point there. The beauty of Vale had drawn Horst's eye as soon as he had beheld it, and the peace that pervaded the place was intoxicating. After twenty years of moving from fight to fight, and watching his friends fall to the endless onslaught of the Darkness, this Eden had an allure that Horst found difficult to resist. Here, he didn't have to fight for the right to crawl into a soaked and cold sleeping bag, surrounded by ruins and corpses. Remnant may have been forced to the brink of extinction, but the Darkness had already moved on from this little paradise. Whatever the Grimm were in reference to the great cosmic evil, they were nothing compared to the Fallen or the Hive.

"This place feels more like home than the City ever did. But you're right; Shaax would be ashamed of me if I threw away my duty in favor of a little comfort. That being said, I have no intention of abandoning these people to their fate, or bringing the Hive down upon them. They need to be ready. I'll make an effort to contact the Vanguard after the Vytal Festival. This will give me plenty of time to assess the abilities of these Huntsmen and Huntresses, and I'll have a report ready for Commander Zavala." Horst looked pointedly at Switch. "Deal?" The Ghost said nothing, simply floating in place silently as he considered the idea. After some few seconds of consideration, he relented.

"Deal." Switch said simply, and de-materialized before any further conversation could be had. Horst knew that there would be more to talk about later, but right now he had to integrate into his new home. And he knew where he was headed before his hand touched the door.

He found Professor Ozpin sitting in the gardens, watching the wind flow through the trees and brightly colored flowers as he sipped from his mug of tea. Horst watched for a time, before speaking to make himself known.

"Do you ever run out of tea?" Ozpin grinned at that, but did not turn to face the Guardian. Instead, he allowed Horst to stand next to him as the two watched the green trees shift lazily in the wind.

"So, how are you liking Beacon so far? Or, is Remnant a more accurate term?" Ozpin asked. Horst 'hmm'ed in response, and crossed his arms.

"Compared to fighting on Earth, expecting the next time I die to be the last...it's a paradise." Horst meant every word, and Ozpin recognized this. The Headmaster set his mug down and turned to look at Horst, surprised to see him without his helmet. The long, ragged scar down the right side of Horst's face gave Ozpin pause, as did the milky white eye that was focused on him. Still, he had seen worse injuries.

"I remember what you told me, about how your Ghosts resurrect the Guardians after death. Tell me, how many times have you died?" It was an honest question but Ozpin was sure if it was appropriate or not. He was surprised to hear a chuckle of all things escape the Titan's lips.

"More times than I can count. Every time, when things went dark, I would think: this is it. The end. No more fighting." Horst shook his head. "And every time, Switch would bring me back into the Light." Horst looked at Ozpin seriously, his mouth set in a grim line. "The strain of dying so many times makes you hope the next time is permanent. It is a rough transition that not all Guardians made unscathed."

"You are nearly immortal, and yet that immortality is a curse. I can grasp the concept, but there's no way for me to properly understand what you have been through." Ozpin offered. "You have my sympathies."

"Once you dedicate yourself to this fight, it becomes a part of you. Each brush with death becomes irritating, and inconvenience that keeps you away from your primary goal: burn away the Darkness. Some Guardians cope with the resurrections by tackling the greatest challenges they can, and are lost as they enter Darkness too powerful for their Ghosts to survive. In a way, I envied them. They went down fighting, and they found peace in death. But I also pitied them. Guardians are the last bastions of Light against oblivion. We cannot afford to give up, or the City will fall." Horst looked out at the forest beyond the gardens, to the north where Forever Fall stretched its crimson limbs as far as the eye could see.

"Your dedication is admirable, Horst. But that single-minded determination, that drive to destroy your enemy... doesn't it rob you of your humanity?" Horst cocked his head, and Ozpin continued. "The fight is both honorable and necessary, I do not dispute that. But resigning yourselves as weapons against an oncoming storm seems dehumanizing, as if you are no longer people. That can't be healthy to the psyche."

"Like I said, not all Guardians remain sane. The Warlocks in particular are an odd bunch, discussing the many facets of the universe as they pluck its strings or some other such rot. They liked to believe they were smarter than everyone else, but when your intelligence is largely based on abstract theory within your own mind, are you a genius or a lunatic?" Horst shook his head. "There are still quite a few Guardians, but there used to be so many more. We were an army, bolstered with camaraderie and the knowledge that we were the last hope of the Light. Nothing could stop us. But time, it seems, is a formidable opponent."

"I know the bite of time better than most at this school. But this world you seek to throw us into, this war to end all wars... is it a blessing to be reunited with our predecessors, or a death sentence? I have not yet tested your fighting abilities, but you state that you have fallen in battle numerous times against these forces of evil, and I look at my students as they pass. You have lived a hundred lives, Horst. But they only get one."

"That is a topic of great debate between myself and Switch. He wants us to reconnect with Earth and get Remnant into the fight. With the aid of the Huntsmen and the Huntresses, we could push the Darkness out of our galaxy, or even destroy it completely. I, on the other hand, would rather get some more training and integration in before we unleash that doom upon this planet." Horst swept his hand across the vista they enjoyed. "Look at this, Professor. This kind of peaceful beauty hasn't been seen on Earth in centuries. Even within the City, people hustle and bustle in a frantic race to build the next wall, assemble the next weapon, and farm enough food to live. Peace is worth more than any military gain. I just wish that it was a permanent condition."

"As do I, Guardian. As do I." Together, the two remained quiet, and gazed upon the forests and the gardens, both wrapped up in their thoughts. They sat there for some time, until the chime for dinner toned out six times. Ozpin stood and stretched his back, before retrieving his now cooled tea mug and his cane.

"I do enjoy these enlightening talks, Professor Horst. It provides insight into the society that we lost contact with, and the man they sent to represent it. And I must say, I have yet to be disappointed." Ozpin turned toward the mess hall and walked at a leisurely pace. "Come. Let's make sure Ms. Rose and her teammates don't destroy the cafeteria again. I'm famished." Horst fell in step beside the Headmaster, and together they walked. Ozpin's pace was constant and certain, showing that his cane was more for aesthetics than a walking aid, and Horst matched his stride easily.

Several students passed them, all noticing Horst's lack of armor and his intimidating scar. They never lingered for long, as his milky eye would settle upon them and scare them away, much to Ozpin's amusement. When they reached the mess hall, the aroma of freshly cooked meats, and spicy stews hit Horst in full force, and he realized suddenly that he had not eaten anything today.

All along the banquet tables where the students sat, dishes of every flavor and kind littered the room. Stuffed turkey, mashed potatoes, loaded tomatoes, fried catfish, spaghetti, thirty differently spiced curries, noodles, and stews; there was food everywhere. And considering Guardians usually got by on tasteless rations and energy supplements, Horst quickly found his mouth watering and his self control weakening.

The two professors made their way to the back of the hall, passing numerous long tables of dark wood, and large windows that stretched all the way up to the high ceiling. The students all sat in teams, with the first year teams keeping mostly to themselves. No one recognized Horst without his armor, though he was sure they would put two and two together eventually. Horst and Ozpin took their seats at a table facing perpendicular to the others, where they could watch their students and eat at the same time. After RWBY and JNPR had their little food war, this concession was both for security and to provide a good view of the carnage. Horst took his seat to Ozpin's right, and the Headmaster sat next to Glynda, who was already slicing delicately into a slab of steak. If Goodwitch had anything to say about Horst's lack of armor, she didn't show it.

The Titan disregarded his colleagues and instead focused on the roast duck that sat so tantalizingly in front of him, its rich aroma already getting his stomach growling. A few slices and a spoon of vegetables later, and Horst was digging into his meal with barely restrained gusto. His fork and knife moved so quickly, one would think he was dispatching an enemy instead of putting away food. He kept his shoveling proper, and spared Ozpin and Glynda any flying pieces of duck. In nearly ten seconds, half of a bird and a good portion of broccoli, baked potatoes, and corn had disappeared from his plate, letting the Titan lean back in his chair with a contented sigh.

"I take it this is better fare than what you usually have, Titan Horst." Ozpin said with a smirk. Horst stifled a belch with his napkin and smiled apologetically.

"Far better. The meals I usually ate while in the field were issued for caloric intake. I think the engineers that put them together actually wanted them to taste bland and disgusting." Horst patted his stomach in contentment. "I'm glad to see that isn't the case here."

The three teachers chatted among themselves as Ozpin and Glynda finished their food at a more leisurely pace. Meanwhile, at the table where team RWBY sat, Ruby and Yang were having a discussion of their own.

"I'm telling you, that's got to be Professor Horst! There aren't any other new teachers, and he wears those clothes under all his armor." Ruby insisted. Yang looked up at the Titan in question and saw his armored boots poking out from behind the table.

"He's still wearing some of his armor, but that scar on his face is a big shock. You'd think wearing all that protection would keep something like that from happening." Yang said, dragging a finger down her face for emphasis. Across the table, Weiss huffed and crossed her arms.

"We don't know what Professor Horst has had to fight. If there's something out there that can break through his armor, then I'm glad he's here to teach us. Still though," the heiress leaned in conspiratorially. "How has no one here ever seen him before? Teachers swap between academies all the time, but not one student here recognizes him. It doesn't make sense." Blake glanced at Weiss from around her book.

"I'm just glad to see he doesn't wear the armor all the time. People were already spreading rumors that he was a Faunus and was hiding it." The ninja said quietly, turning a page and sipping her milk. Yang snorted at that.

"Are you kidding? If I had awesome armor like that, I'd wear it all the time! It's so cool and shiny, and it probably can take a pounding." Yang flexed her muscles and grinned, already imagining the unstoppable juggernaut she'd be in full armor.

"Yang, that helmet would mess up your hair." Ruby pointed out.

"Never mind. I'm more awesome like this anyway." The blonde brawler would never do anything to harm her fiery golden locks. Ruby shook her head at her sister's antics, then looked back to the teacher's table once more. All three professors had finished their meals and were talking quietly. Ozpin must have told a joke, because Horst was laughing loudly, while Glynda hid her smile behind her hand. For a new teacher, Horst was certainly cozy with the Headmaster. And Ruby couldn't wait to learn from him.


	3. Chapter 3

**Chapter 3**

* * *

The next day brought on the first classes, and having Dr. Oobleck for History was a difficult morning class. The girls could barely keep up with the professor as he zipped around the room, alternating between slapping his map with a pointer and sipping what was likely pure caffeine from a small shooter. Oobleck spoke so quickly that only the most studious could keep up with him, meaning that Weiss was the only one taking notes. Blake was reading another one of her books, Yang was barely staying awake, and Ruby was drawing a picture of Oobleck running around the world. The rest of the class battled boredom in similar fashions, except for Cardin Winchester. The large, muscular jock that led team CRDL was sitting with his back straight, studiously taking notes. Sweat dripped from his large brow as his eyes alternated between focusing on his paper and Dr. Oobleck. This strange behavior was likely caused by Professor Horst sitting right beside him, wearing his full armor and Chimera on his back.

Horst had insisted on attending Dr. Oobleck's class for two reasons. The first was that he had no first period class, which was devoted to Glynda preparing the training room for the day's activities. While she appreciated any help he might offer, Goodwitch preferred to handle her classroom herself, and it was a concession Horst had no problems making. The second reason was that Horst felt some history was necessary, so that he could learn Remnant's story and incorporate some lessons into his own training. And he already had a few ideas. Cardin had no wish to irritate the larger warrior, because just prior to class Horst had already declared that Cardin was going to be the day's sparring aide. That didn't spell good things for the mace wielding boy.

After an hour of Oobleck's spirited lecture, he assigned the class with some readings and dismissed them, zipping out the door in a blur. As the students stood up, Cardin was the second one out, on the excuse that he had to go get his armor ready. The other students started to file out as well, and Horst made it to the door at the same time team RWBY did. Because combat training was their next class, the girls decided to walk with their large teacher.

"Professor Horst, if you don't mind me asking, why were you sitting in Dr. Oobleck's class?" Weiss asked as they walked.

"I don't mind you asking, and it's because I want to reinforce what Oobleck said at the first of class: learn from history, or be doomed to repeat it." Horst said mysteriously. Team RWBY shared some looks, unsure of which lesson he was referring to.

"When we do combat training this semester, do you think we'll have any live exercises?" Ruby prodded. "Professor Goodwitch took us into Forever Fall a couple times last semester, but we were always doing things besides fighting."

"It's not my place to question Professor Goodwitch, but yes, we will have a few training exercises involving Grimm. That being said, you must remember that being a Huntress is more than just hunting Grimm." Horst said seriously. "There are threats to Vale that can think, you know." In that, he meant people like Roman Torchwick and the White Fang. Ozpin had clued him in on the mysterious group's activities as of late, and it concerned Horst. If they were going to combat the Darkness, it was to be a unified front. Any traitorous elements operating during a fight like that could prove disastrous. The five made their way to the training room, where RWBY took their seats and Horst joined Glynda Goodwitch in the center of the room.

The training room was built like a Colosseum, with the seats raised above the fighting area in a half circle. The floor itself was smooth, with a high ceiling to allow for acrobatics and powerful abilities. Curiously enough, the windows behind the seats had been covered, with the only source of light being the single white light that shone from above the fighting arena. Goodwitch and Horst definitely had something in mind for their first combat lesson.

"Everyone take your seats, please. Professor Horst will explain your assignment momentarily." The stern blonde woman instructed. Teams RWBY, JNPR, and CRDL found their seats with little difficulty, though the lighting change definitely caused some curiosity. Once the students were all seated, Horst stepped forward and surveyed the assembled teams silently. The assembled young adults fidgeted under his helmeted gaze for a few seconds, before Ruby tentatively raised her hand.

"Uh, Professor? What exactly ARE we doing today?" She asked nervously. To everyone's surprise, Horst's reaction was to laugh.

"It took the youngest and nearly the smallest among you to actually question why we were sitting here? For shame." Ruby's face glowed red at that, and everyone looked at her for a moment before returning their attention to the Titan.

"Today, I want to visit two hard truths about war. The first will be a reflection on Dr. Oobleck's class. Ms. Belladonna?" Horst said, startling the Faunus as all eyes were on her. "In Dr. Oobleck's class, what was the primary reason for General Legune's defeat at the battle of Fort Castle?" Blake looked around at her classmates for a second, and then the reason for the blotted out windows dawned on her.

"The general tried to ambush the Faunus at night, and didn't realize that many Faunus have near perfect night vision." She said, her eyes narrowing at the new professor. Had he singled her out because of her Faunus heritage, or had she simply been selected at random? In any case, Horst nodded and continued.

"That's correct. General Legune overlooked an advantage that his enemy had over his own forces. In many cases, this lesson can be applied today. But our foes are not our fellow Huntsmen and Huntresses. Today, our enemy is the Darkness itself." With that, the single light above them went out, causing an inky blackness to overtake the room. The only light available was from Horst's helmet, and the small circular light on his forehead. The light bobbed in the darkness as he looked around, and then continued his lecture.

"Grimm boast stellar night vision and glow in the dark. In a Deathstalker nest or attempting to chase an Ursa into its cave, you will find yourselves fighting in the dark." The light above them returned slowly to the room, but not completely. It remained dim enough for them to see Professor Horst, but Glynda Goodwitch had disappeared. And Horst had drawn his sword.

"Our next lesson is a hard one to learn if ever practiced in real combat. On important missions, or even during an invasion of Grimm, there is no guarantee that you will be able to stay with your team. Thus, you should be able to fight alongside any Huntsman or Huntress you ally with. In a situation where you are separated from your team, or worse, that your team has fallen, you will need to fight together to survive. Our enemy is merciless, resourceful, and relentless. Now then, I will choose one person from each team to step down here." The students began muttering among themselves as Horst finished his instruction, nervous about fighting in total darkness without their friends. Fighting solo was something they trained for, but fighting with another team? What if they attacked each other by mistake?

"Cardin Winchester, Nora Valkyrie, and Yang Xiao Long. Ready your weapons and come down here." Horst called out. Cardin stood up in his full armor, an iron-colored chest plate emblazoned with a golden eagle with similar vambraces, greaves, and an armored skirt that covered his thighs. In his hand was a massive black mace, flanged at the end with bladed wings curling inwards like a cruel rose. If the weapon made contact, someone was having a bad day. The large boy jumped down into the dimly lit circle, followed by the forever cheerful Nora Valkyrie.

Nora was the heavy hitter of team JNPR, with her silver grenade launcher turned war hammer Magnhild. She wore a sleeveless top that was cream colored and pink, with a keyhole in the shape of a heart just below her throat, with a metal harness to hold Magnhild. Her orange hair was cut to reach her chin, and her sea foam eyes danced happily as she pounced onto the ground. Nora giggled mischievously as she landed, tightening her fingerless gloves. Yang jumped down last, extending Ember Celica around her fists and somersaulting into the ring in a show of style. Once the impromptu team had landed, Horst nodded to Glynda in the darkness. Yang saw him do this and frowned, scratching her head in confusion.

"Uh, professor? Who are we supposed to be fighting?" Cardin and Nora nodded as well, and all three looked up as the lights dimmed slowly. Horst flourished Chimera one handed as the darkness fell, and soon they could see nothing. View screens rolled up in front of the spectating students, displaying Aura signatures and protecting them from harm. When the darkness consumed the room completely, Horst's light on his forehead went out.

"Me."

Yang and Nora slid together, back to back as they listened closely for the large Titan to make his move. Alone in the darkness, Cardin strained his ears and his eyes for some hint of Horst's location. They could hear air moving, but little else over the blood pounding in their ears. The eerie quiet unnerved all three students.

"How can someone that big make no noise?" Cardin whispered quietly, though the words echoed in the silent darkness. Air moving nearby caused him to turn, and then a hand grabbed his bicep from behind.

"By not talking, for one." Horst uttered, and landed two lightning jabs into the knight's side before dancing back into the darkness. Cardin cried out in surprise and pain, sliding towards the two girls as he reeled from the blows. Nora grabbed him by the shoulder and pulled him closer, so that all three faced outward into the dark.

"You are separated from your teams, fighting an unknown enemy in total darkness." Horst stated from the shadows, his echoing voice proving too difficult to track his location. "And yet, you have made no attempts to communicate or formulate a strategy. Will you merely stare the Darkness to death?" In the stands, the other students watched Horst's vibrant Aura approach the three huddled together, circling at the edge of them. Cardin and Nora remained silent, but Yang got the hint.

"Cardin, you've got the most reach. If anything happens, Nora and I will duck and you need to swing over our heads. Knock him outta the park, slugger." Yang said quietly. She felt Cardin nod from their proximity, and she heard Magnhild convert into its grenade launcher form.

"I've got some fireworks! We can see him for a little bit, and attack from there!" She stage whispered, far too loudly for Yang's taste. Cardin chuckled at that.

"You losers light him up, and I'll take it from there." He tapped his mace in emphasis, causing a dull ring to pervade the training area. It almost drowned out the chuckle heard from in between the three students.

"That's an excellent strategy. Now you just have to implement it." Horst's presence shocked all of them. Yang and Nora ducked and rolled away, and Cardin swung his mace toward the middle of their little triangle as hard as he could. Horst brought up Chimera and blocked the blow, the sparks from the two weapons meeting exposing the two warriors for a split second of golden. Cardin rotated his mace slightly, catching Chimera between the prongs, and angled the head downward. Horst felt his grip become compromised as the motion torqued his wrists, and freed his blade with a kick to Cardin's midsection. The big warrior 'oof'ed as he was sent back a ways. Nora prevented further action with a trio of grenades in the air, exploding and creating three seconds of illumination, casting a pink shade of light across the training floor. Horst stood where he was as the light burned, and brought up Chimera in a guard as Yang charged him, her gauntlets at the ready to crush him. The light faded just before Yang reached the Titan, but she swung where she estimated he would be. She was met with partial success as her gauntlet made contact with a shoulder pauldron, the professor rolling away into darkness as he did so. However, his dodge caused his footfalls to be slightly heavier, and Yang followed him doggedly. Several red blasts shot from Ember Celica, none connecting as the wily Titan avoided her shots, bled light into the arena as the Titan led her around the ring.

"Nora! Another flare would be nice!" Yang called out. Almost before she finished the sentence, another grenade went off, bathing the ring in pink light once more. Horst became much easier to see, and Yang had just chased him into Cardin's waiting mace. The leader of team CRDL swung high, while Yang slid forward to take out Horst's legs. Horst let the mace slide over him as he bent backwards, but wasn't prepared for Yang's slide to take out his legs. He hit the ground with a thud and rolled to recover, climbing to his feet just as the light faded. Yang could detect two large people close by, and she swung at the closest one with all her might. She smirked in satisfaction when the hit connected solidly, sending her target flying away. The satisfaction bled away, however, when she heard the pained voice of Cardin.

"Oooowwww..." The young man moaned as he skidded across the floor, his mace forgotten as he recovered from a full powered Yang punch. The brawler winced in sympathy.

"Sorry, Cardin!" She apologized, already looking for Horst in the inky darkness. The flares were a good idea, but they were ruining her night vision. Still, the next flare that went up was welcome as she turned to find her opponent – and he was standing right behind her. Chimera blocked another punch as she tried to gain some distance, only for Horst to grab her up and slam her down into the ground with a bone jarring tackle. The impact of the armored giant into her gut knocked to air right out of Yang, and she almost didn't see Nora come flying in, Magnhild extended in its hammer form as she clobbered Horst with all her might. The force of the blow sent the professor flying from on top of Yang and back into the darkness. Nora helped Yang up to her feet, and the two stood back to back once more. More mechanical clanking signified that Magnhild was going back to grenade launcher mode, and Yang could hear pounding footsteps coming from her right. Yang sent a preemptive shot from Ember Celica into the ground, singeing the Titan's mark as he rushed the duo.

Horst swung a fist into Nora's chest right as she fired a flare, giving Yang a chance to land an uppercut on the towering Titan. She did not expect him to catch her incoming fist, nor the throw into Nora that fetched them both up against the still prone Cardin. Before the three could regain their footing, the light slowly returned to the room, allowing the three students to adjust from the total darkness. When everything was bright again, they saw Horst standing at the far side of the room, Chimera slung over his shoulder.

"Well done, you three. Nora and Yang have fought together before, but you two worked together with Cardin better than we could have expected." Horst turned to face the leader of team CRDL. "And you, Cardin. From the disciplinary reports and video clips I reviewed from last semester, this level of cooperation is a marked improvement. And your tactic with the mace wings was clever." Horst praised, and all three students beamed at his words. Their smiles disintegrated as he continued.

"However. Cardin was largely left out of the planning. Nora also did little to support the team aside from her flares. And Yang decided that the chance of landing a strike on her enemy was worth the risk of striking her teammate." His words did not have bite, but they felt the sting nonetheless. Cardin frowned at all of this and crossed his arms.

"What, did you actually expect us to beat a teacher? We're nowhere near ready for someone like you." The knight complained, and the other two agreed with his words. Horst shook his head slowly, disappointed that they had missed the point.

"I am not here to beat you into the ground. There is a lesson to all of this. In this exercise, you were asked to work with unfamiliar people in an unfamiliar environment. All three of you performed well for your first time, beyond what I expected. But victory against someone like me is above you now. And you should not look to win every encounter you have with your enemy." Horst reached up and grabbed his helmet with both hands, twisting slightly to disengage the seals that kept it in place and pressurized. A soft hiss came from his neck as the armor separated, and he revealed his bald head and scarred visage for all to see. Some had seen him in the dining hall, but the jagged scar and milky white eye startled everyone in the room, except for Goodwitch.

"Your top priority in the battle against the Darkness is survival. Slay the Grimm, save the people, secure the perimeter: these are all objectives. But your most important job is to make it back in one piece, and make sure your team survives. Heroes rise and fall, but legends live on forever. Defiant last stands and martyrs are noble, heroic ways to die. But your friends would not tolerate such a sacrifice if it is unnecessary. And the practical point is this: your kill count stops when you die." Horst's words were iron, and he saw that the tone had taken a serious, almost somber note.

"I have seen friends walk to the edge of the abyss, and not return. I have had my retreat covered by warriors far greater than I, and watched them fall while I survived. Sometimes, the right choice is to go down fighting, to make sure your team makes it. But that should never be a part of the plan. We need all of you, and I intend for you to survive until the end of days. No Grimm deserves your life, no criminal your honor. Even if it means turning tail and running for the hills, you must survive." Horst stared down the students as he let this lesson sink in, before he smiled lightly.

"I don't think any of you will be dying on us just yet though. Ms. Valkyrie nearly knocked my helmet off." Said girl giggled and grinned widely, breaking up the deathly pallor that had fallen over the room. The students began murmuring to each other, until a certain team leader raised her hand.

"Professor Horst, will we be having exercises like this every day?" Ruby asked. The fight had been intense, but a battle like that every day would break someone's spirit. Horst chuckled and shook his head.

"This was something I brought to Professor Goodwitch and her curriculum. This is her class, and she will instruct you as she sees fit. However, I may add a scenario or two to drive some difficult points home." The class collectively sighed in relief; no one looked forward to being utterly destroyed by Titan Horst. Of course, he picked up on that immediately.

"But enough talking." He said, pulling his helmet on and securing it with a twist. "Blake Belladonna, Jaune Arc, and Dove Bronzewing: front and center."

After three more bouts, one of which sent Sky Lark into the protective screen that had sprung up in front of the audience, the students were dismissed and left to attend their next class. Glynda and Horst watched them leave passively, waiting for the next class to enter. After the last first year student left the classroom, Glynda turned to Horst.

"Was it really necessary to defeat them so soundly? We are here to build them up, not break them." She wasn't complaining, as every student needed to be resilient. She was really after Horst's reasoning behind the brutal lesson.

"They kept me from going harder on them. The students are gifted for their age. I did it both to take their measure, and to give them a reference for facing a stronger opponent. That way, they know when to cut and run if they're outclassed, instead of fighting and dying." Horst said simply, stretching his arm across his chest with the other one.

"That's a dark way of thinking." Glynda offered.

"On the contrary, Ms. Goodwitch. That's the only way to think. A student told that a clever plan can save him from three Ursa Majors is a student killed. They need to know that they can fight, and they can also flee. We can't teach them victory or death; we need to teach survival."

"But what if they get scared? We don't need Huntsmen that run from every battle."

"If they lacked the resolve to fight, would they be here?" His reasoning was sound, but Glynda didn't like his approach. Still, as he had said, it was largely her class and her curriculum. That did not mean she wouldn't have words with Ozpin later, however. The seconds years that entered the training room suffered the same lesson, and then Glynda and Horst went to lunch. Unlike the previous day, Horst carried a plate stacked with food to his dorm and locked himself away from Beacon. He devoured the food quickly, and then set about stropping a whetstone across Chimera's blade to maintain its razor edge.

While the Titan maintained his weapon, Switch made his presence known. The Ghost appeared in front of Horst, watching the Titan methodically drag the stone across the edge of the blade with a metallic rasp each time. The sat in silence for some time, but Switch wasn't known for his ability to keep quiet.

"That was a harsh lesson for their first day." Horst did not pause in his strop, but he didn't look up either.

"The hardest lessons must be taught first. If they aren't ready to be Huntsmen, then I'd rather they figure that out here, where their lives aren't at stake." Horst replied gruffly. He hadn't enjoyed crushing the students, but he hadn't gone all out on them either. It had been a careful balance to make sure that they got the point, without crushing them completely.

"If you pound them down into submission now, they won't have the resolve for the tasks ahead. You were too hard on them." Switch persisted.

"Didn't Vell Tarlowe say, 'war upon a wall of stone and it grows weaker. War upon a wall of men and it grows stronger'?" Horst asked rhetorically, anger creeping into his voice. He and Switch were as tight as any Ghost and Guardian were, but his companion had been second guessing him a lot since they had landed on Remnant. True to that thought, Switch shook himself sideways in a negative.

"Vell Tarlowe was a veteran Titan, talking about other veteran Titans. These are children, barely on the cusp of adulthood."

"They wield weapons of destruction and possess abilities that would make most Hunters blush. They are no longer children."

"But do they know that?" Switch was insistent. "They come to school, spend time with their friends, and study the enemy. Save the harsh realities for their second year." Horst growled and stopped his maintenance of Chimera, setting the blade down angrily.

"It's better they learn those realities now than when they're comrades are dying around them. They need these lessons!"

"The likelihood of them seeing outright combat is incredibly low. If you start covering triage and funeral services, you'll erode the innocence in them. They're still kids."

"That innocence will erode a lot faster after they see their first comrade fall." Horst spat.

"Enough!" Switch's facets spun angrily as he flew into Horst's face, holding level with the single blue eye. "You were resurrected and thrown into a war that had been fought for centuries. You woke up alone, and fought tooth and nail for every day you lived. And even for some days that you died." Switch tilted slightly, as someone with a body might tilt their head. "These kids have not been forced to do any of that. If you teach from that point of view, you'll send them all packing. And what will they have learned then?" Horst glared at the hovering embodiment of Light for several tense moments, but after a while he let out a long breath and sat back down. Switch was right.

He had no recollection of his time before becoming a Guardian, the only truth being that he had died in combat. Once he had been resurrected, a revenant of Light against the encroaching Darkness, he had killed and fought and died nearly every day of his life. In his genesis, stray packs of Fallen and Hive had been his prey, and they had offered measured resistance against him. As he had grown in power, learning and improving after every foe fell, his eyes had turned toward the other planets the Darkness had taken. Venus, Mars, even the moon bore evidence of his stride, countless boot prints from his extermination of all that would extinguish the Light. Weeks spent in the field, surrounded by corpses and ruins, had dulled his sense of hope for a future. Where a child was told bright and cheerful stories of heroes fighting for good and defeating the monsters, Horst only had a grim determination to destroy every foe in his path until none were left standing. He had made many friends, only to watch most of them meet their end in some form or fashion.

The students of Beacon did not have that experience. Some came from villages harassed by Grimm more often than not, but only a few were unfortunate enough to have experienced any real form of carnage or loss. They laughed and joked as they went from class to class, enjoying the peace and the presence of their friends. None had been forced to bury comrades, nor had they witnessed innocent civilians torn to shreds by the nightmares in the dark.

The Grimm presented a real threat for those experiences to come about, and Horst would be a fool to think that every student before him would reach their winter years. However, to rob them of their precious times and bog them down with responsibility was a disservice to them. He would let them have their gleaming years of adolescence, their time before the war. It was something he had been denied, but they deserved to have a bright past to look back on when everything went to hell.

When things got bad for Horst, his responsibility and rage just made him kill.

"You're right, Switch. I'll take it easier on them." Horst admitted, and his Ghost nodded in affirmation.

"Damned right I'm right."

* * *

The rest of the afternoon was spent compiling data for the Vanguard – Iron Symphony still floated in orbit, transmitting their messages – and recording video logs. After he closed a personal message to Shaax, Horst shed his armor and donned his blue jacket for less combat oriented activity. The day was still young, and a talk with Ozpin was in order. Horst left the dormitories and walked the cobblestone path towards Ozpin's clock tower, passing several teams along the way. He recognized a few second year teams, and they definitely recognized him by the way they moved to the other side of the path in panicked haste. It seemed his brutal lesson in the arena had earned him a reputation among the students of Beacon. Similar responses – quick glances and hushed whispers – followed him as he continued toward his meeting, and it was somewhat disappointing that he had garnered such fear from the student body. I mean really; giant bird that shoots feathers like black tipped javelins? We'll take it on no problem. New teacher that can fight a few off balanced teams in the dark? Run screaming. That wasn't quite the reaction, but the knowledge that fear was the most common thing he faced here put the Titan in a foul mood as he ascended the mechanical steps of Ozpin's tower. He was there to make them better, to prepare them for the unforgiving world they were about to face. He could only imagine the carnage if the Hive discovered Remnant.

When the door cycled open to reveal Beacon's headmaster seated at his desk with a scroll in hand, Horst's fiery temper had cooled to a more manageable level. His quarrel was not with Ozpin, and such the man did not deserve the heat that coursed through the Titan's veins. When Ozpin looked up at him from his scroll, the Headmaster raised an eyebrow.

"Normally I'm the one that arranges these meetings, but I can only assume that this is important." Ozpin said without a hint of irritation. Horst had to commend Beacon's headmaster; the man was in far more control of his emotions than any other Horst had met in his travels.

"I apologize for the lack of notice, but I had questions. I also wanted to discuss the results of the first class I taught with Professor Goodwitch." Horst said tightly, as if he stood before a general, and not the wizened Headmaster of a Huntsmen academy. Ozpin tilted his head curiously, then set his scroll down on his desk and leaned forward, his fingers steepled in front of him.

"There's no need to be so formal. I understand that the Vanguard maintain a certain amount of discipline, but we are much more familiar here at Beacon. I cannot force you to call a colleague by her first name, but I can only hope that doing so will smooth things over with our...predicament." Ozpin's pause was likely in reference to the looming elephant in the room. Even though he had fit in well enough with the new teacher persona, Horst's primary mission remained: recruit soldiers to defend humanity from the forces of Darkness. Technically as a teacher at Beacon he was fulfilling that role, but the need to reconnect with Earth was still present. On top of that, the teachers of Beacon had been granted barely a day to come to terms with the news of extraterrestrial life, let alone the descendants of the Golden Age still fought a war of attrition in another solar system.

"I appreciate that, sir. However, I think it would be best to remain professional until things here become more settled, and my story is confirmed." Horst held up his hands in a placating manner. "I know how hard it is to accept my words as truth, but with time and a line of communication to Earth, I may be able to arrange for more concrete evidence. That being said, I came here to discuss the exercise myself and Professor Goodwitch supervised today." Ozpin nodded, and pressed a few buttons on his desk to open a private terminal. With a few more commands entered, a holographic projection of Horst's lesson with Cardin, Yang, and Nora appeared in front of Ozpin, the frame frozen on the moment when Horst had punched Nora while grappling with Yang. Ozpin took in the scene for several seconds, then focused his eyes on Horst once more.

"Glynda explained to me the lesson you taught, and frankly I approve of it. While they are indeed children, the truths you brought up today are definitely better learned in the controlled environment of a classroom, rather than on a bloody battlefield." Ozpin's eyes narrowed. "However, the brutality you used in your strikes were a little much for the first day of class." Horst looked at the image again, remembering the punches Yang had tried to use to stop him, and the subsequent throw that had knocked all three students out of the fight. He had swatted them like flies, their only real retaliation being Nora's hammer to his face, and even that had merely dislodged him. Perhaps he had been a little rough.

"That is true. That's also why I submitted to Professor Goodwitch for a majority of these classes. I will assist her, but any classes where I control the lesson will be few and far between. And the next class I teach will likely be outside of Beacon, in combat with the real enemy. There is no reason to senselessly beat upon the students when they won't learn from it, and a Grimm will fall long before I will." Ozpin nodded at Horst's reasoning.

"You agreed to forgo the attempt at communication until after the Vytal festival. Have you changed your mind?"

"No, Headmaster. I simply want to send them messages and data, not hold a conversation with them. With a data packet of Remnant's history and culture, along with my own observations, the Vanguard will be more prepared for when we finally make contact. And of course, anything I send them I will forward to you first." Horst said reassuringly. Ozpin accepted the motion for what it was, and leaned back in his chair in a more relaxed manner. Whatever tension that had pervaded the room with Horst's unscheduled arrival had eased considerably, allowing the two men a moment to breathe. Not that the two needed it; Ozpin was unflappable as ever, and Horst had been in much more tense situations than this.

"That would be agreeable. I just hope that every time you have an epiphany like this, you use your scroll instead of charging across campus like a towering Goliath." Clearly, Ozpin had been monitoring his movements before Horst had even made it to the tower. Every interaction Horst had with the Headmaster only showed the wisdom and complexity of the man. It also showed why such an insightful leader had taken his words to heart; the man could read people, even a Guardian in full armor and a Ghost he had never seen before. In the coming reunion between Earth and Remnant, Horst wondered just what would happen to the wily old Professor Ozpin.

"I felt that these matters were of the utmost importance. That, and I needed time to walk. Switch and I had just endured a debate that left me somewhat...ill." Horst rarely admitted to his failings, but he had been hot tempered afterwards. The words still made him grumpy, but his Ghost had spoken truthfully.

"I can only imagine the kind of debate that would make a Guardian so angry he left his weapon in his dorm." Ozpin said with a mirthless chuckle. Horst sighed and took a seat across from Ozpin, leaning forward with his elbows resting on his knees and his hands clasped before him. With only the desk between them, its internal cogs spinning to some unknown purpose, Horst was again reminded just how much larger he was than Ozpin. And yet, he still wasn't sure if he could handle the Headmaster if their alliance went terribly wrong. The man had no tells, no visible weaknesses, and nothing but exaggerated stories of his prowess as a Huntsman. Not that he expected Ozpin to trust him completely after only knowing him for a day and a half.

"It's better that I not have it when I lose my temper. I'm more level headed than many Guardians, but no one is immune to life's struggles. Or the smart mouth on a Ghost." Horst muttered the last part under his breath, but Ozpin caught it anyway.

"Quite. I do appreciate the fact that you came to me, and overall I approve of your teaching methods. Just try to remember that they are children, if only for a while longer." Ozpin chided. "Now, I am expecting a great many visitors to Beacon, so when you see several airships floating near the landing pads tomorrow, try not to be alarmed. My associates in Atlas have informed me that General Ironwood himself is coming to the Vytal Festival."

That got Horst's attention. In their general overview of the four kingdoms, General James Ironwood and Atlas were most commonly mentioned together because the man ran half of the country. Here in Vale, a commonwealth militia kept the peace and repelled any Grimm attacks under the direction of Vale's civilian council, while the more serious issues were handled by Huntsmen under the command of Headmaster Ozpin. In Atlas, the Huntsmen and Huntresses of the arctic country were part of the military itself, and General Ironwood was more or less the commander in chief of Atlas' military, as well as the Headmaster of the country's Huntsmen academy. For the great General to leave Atlas and come to Vale over something as common as the Vytal Festival, something else was stirring.

"I believe that may be something to worry about." Horst said tentatively, and Ozpin nodded his head in agreement.

"It is, on two fronts. The first, your position as a newly arrived teacher might have sated the curiosities of anyone in Vale, but the General is a very cautious man. He may demand your credentials, and I doubt he would be as...receptive to the tale of the Traveler as we have been. At best, he will throw you in chains and interrogate you. At worst, you would be subjected to a vivisection and in depth study, during which you would undoubtedly expire no matter how proficient Switch is in bringing you back." Ozpin held up two fingers. "The second point, and one just as grave, is that Vale's civilian council has been maneuvering behind my back. I've interdicted several communiques between the councilors and Atlas. That, coupled with the dust robberies and rebellious actions of the White Fang, might be enough to bring General Ironwood into a semi permanent security position for the Vytal Festival. Judging by the messages they have been trading, the councilors have been arranging this little coup d'etat for several weeks." The man sipped his tea calmly and focused on Horst's face, as if searching for a reaction. Horst's eyes widened slightly, but he did not appear overly worried.

"That is unfortunate, on the last account. As for the General focusing on me, you shouldn't have to worry about that. Glynda and I have discussed a training curriculum for next month that will place one team in Emerald Forest with me per week. At the end of each week, I will send the team back and the new team will come to me. That will put me in the wilderness for most of the month, and by the end of the year he will be too busy with the security situation to care about me." Horst frowned. "I can't say I'll be comfortable in the forest now that I'm aware of all the political games being played, but under my circumstances I would be more of a hindrance to you than help." Horst would contact the Vanguard after the festival was over, and only then would he have the evidence necessary to defend himself from Remnant's more skeptical inhabitants.

"Unfortunately, I agree with you on in that respect. I was hoping to keep you confined to the dorms, or send you into the city after the White Fang, but this curriculum will make things easier. Which teams will you be taking?"

"The first year teams: RWBY, JNPR, and CRDL. I'll take them in that order, and they'll learn many practical skills. I've been working with Glynda to excuse the students from Professor Port and Dr. Oobleck's classes, and I will be bringing Switch with supplies." Horst tapped his fingers on the table. "The White Fang are a marked concern, however. I could take a look at the situation over the weekend, in between excursions. I have to come back for supplies every week anyway, and I haven't been fully associated with Beacon yet. If one of the White Fang see me, they will think I'm simply another civilian. I'll send Switch to you with what I learn, so that nothing can be traced back to us in case things go sour. Plausible deniability and all that rot." Horst was used to tracking down leads in the City, though usually he was trailing emissaries from the Reef that were spying on the City. He could blend in well enough, and he could fight without his armor.

"I suspect that you will run into Ms. Rose and her friends on that venture. I would consider it a personal favor if you watched over them during your investigation. As I have said before, they are adept at finding trouble." Ozpin grinned at that, and Horst had to agree. Judging by their action at the docks the previous semester, as well as Ruby's encounter with Roman Torchwick that had earned her enrollment into Beacon, team RWBY was more likely than most to dig up any hidden plot. For one reason or another, the four girls were very good at sniffing out White Fang plots.

"Done deal. I've only worked with them for a very short time, but Ruby in particular grows on you. Like a red, hyperactive tumor." Horst quipped.

"Again, I agree completely. For her age, she shows remarkable skill and is becoming a fine leader. I only hope that we can unleash her full potential." Ozpin seemed quite fond of the young girl, and Horst couldn't help but agree. The leader of team RWBY was a happy, energetic girl that seemed to have retained her innocence in an unforgiving world. She was caring, compassionate, and despite her nervousness at the first of the year, she had really grown to fill her position as team leader.

"I'll pass on some techniques if she's willing; my lessons are more beneficial to fighter light Ms. Xiao Long or Mr. Winchester, but I've worked together with enough Hunters to pick up some tips. If anything, another challenge will help her grow as both a leader and a Huntress." Horst offered. There had been several Bladedancers in Horst's travels that had used him as a wall while they recuperated in battle. His work alongside them had given him an insight on their techniques, enough to where he could at least impart Light manipulation. An electrically charged Ruby that could become invisible would be a terror on the battlefield, as long as she was compatible with his lessons.

"Very well. I'll speak with Professor Port and send a message to Dr. Oobleck about the classes. In the meantime, you should prepare for tomorrow's classes. From what Glynda said earlier, you have some spars to oversee." Ozpin stood and offered a hand. Horst rose and shook it, again impressed that someone smaller than him offered the same amount of strength that Horst put into the shake. With business concluded, Horst turned and walked back down the stairs, descending quickly thanks to the mechanical segments that dropped several flights at a time. The Titan felt better than he had when he'd climbed the tower, but the Atlas problem raised concerns, as did the White Fang activity.

The White Fang had originally emerged as a Faunus rights activist group, conducting perfectly legal protests, boycotts, and sit ins in an attempt to bring about equal treatment for their people. Despite the opposition they faced, their leader stressed that peaceful demonstration was the only way the Faunus would earn their rights. Unfortunately, the years dragged on without success, until five years ago the leader of the White Fang stepped down, and a new one took his place. The new head of the White Fang enacted many changes, but the majority difference changed the White Fang from a civil rights movement to a terrorist organization. Their faction meetings became mission briefings, their protests turned into organized riots. Every company that openly discriminated the Faunus was targeted, harassed, or even wiped out. In the rising fear, Faunus citizens were being treated better, not out of respect, but out of fear of the White Fang. To a few, that was a good thing, but to many it was the wrong means to a right end. Senseless slaughter was no way to bring about peaceful coexistence, and Horst despised what the White Fang was doing. With their efforts increasing in Vale, he was in a position to do something about it.


	4. Chapter 4

The fight here is almost identical to the fight in RWBY, I just changed it a little partly because combat is a brain tickler for me, and partly because the way the team at Rooster Teeth set it up made the fight really good as is. I also did not realize how long this chapter was until I uploaded it. It's twice as long as most of my chapters, which I guess is a good thing.

* * *

 **Chapter 4**

The next day, as Ozpin's had reported, two Atlesian cruisers and a capital ship hovered into place above Beacon's sizable landing pads, with smaller strike craft patrolling the air space. Horst examined the immense airships and their long, angular bodies with the pronged thrusters facing behind them. In honesty, they were decent ships, but they weren't built to content with a Fallen Ketch, or even a half-dozen Hive tomb ships. The airships that hung over Beacon had a large majority of their armaments on their undersides, which meant that they were more adept at providing air support than contending with other airships. A few higher caliber cannons bristled from further aft, near the thrusters, but those weapons required the entire ship to turn before it could fire. As it stood, the Iron Symphony could probably cripple the cruisers with little trouble, so long as it moved fast and stayed above them. The capital ship boasted point defense cannons along the topside hull, preventing such measures from working. It still lacked defenses to its rear, and Iron Symphony's ability to hover would likely spell doom for the large airship. As long as their helmsman was slower than Horst, the Titan would have no problem felling the great ship before him. The strike craft would harass him, sure, but the shields on Iron Symphony were designed to withstand combat in a vacuum, meaning that under no circumstances could anything pass through. These ships showed no clear shield emitters, and likely had not advanced far enough to possess such defenses.

In short, Horst wasn't impressed.

As the troops landed en masse, Horst sat on a stone bench similar to the one he had been sitting on when he had first met Glynda and Ozpin. With Atlesian soldiers shuffling everywhere to provide security, he had decided to leave his armor in his dormitory. As he sat in his civilian garb, with the blue jacket, blue fatigues, black undershirt, and armored boots, Horst noticed a very distinctive figure in white. A tall man in a white military dress coat, complete with coat tails and reinforced shoulders, walked past Horst with only a single glance Their eyes met for a single second, long enough for Horst to acknowledge the man with a slight nod. He wore a blue vest with golden buttons and white slacks, though an ornate pair of silver shin guards added some functionality to the outfit. His hair was black, but the hair at his temples and ears were gray from age and stress, and deep worry lines stretched down from either side of his nose. A curious metal plate sat above his right eye, its function unknown with such a brief examination. Horst watched the man climb the steps to Ozpin's tower in disinterest, and returned to watching the soldiers unload their supplies from the cruisers. It seemed that General Ironwood had some important dealings with Professor Ozpin.

Now that he had been able to assess the 'most advanced military power in the world', Horst stood up and stretched, his shoulders popping from his rest the previous night. The soft beds at Beacon were doing their damnedest to realign his skeletal structure, and he wasn't sure he disagreed with them. Still, with first period nearly over and Glynda stuck in the meeting with Ironwood, that meant that Horst was in charge of the sparring class until the blonde professor returned. When Horst had crossed the cobblestone paths and found his way to the training room, all of the first year teams were already waiting on him. Teams RWBY and JNPR were sitting next to each other, with team CRDL off to the side by themselves. Clearly, there was some tension between the all boys team and their fellow first years. It was a problem Horst would address, but not at this time. Today, he would cover team dynamics.

"Good morning everyone. I'm afraid the arrival of our Atlesian allies and their students has delayed Professor Goodwitch, so I will be handling class until she returns." Horst walked up to the edge of the wall and casually lifted himself up into the seats, the air contorting around him as he floated upward, carried by the power of his Light. The ability wowed the students, Ruby in particular as she gushed over how cool it was, and Horst took his seat in among team JNPR. With the four surrounding him, he addressed them first, but in a voice loud enough for everyone to hear.

"Today we will discuss how well you know your teammates. Because you had partners before you became four person teams, I will be asking questions pertaining to your partners' fighting abilities, their strengths and weaknesses, and so on." He looked down at the two members of JNPR on the seats below him. "Jaune, Pyrra, you two will be first."

Jaune Arc was a tall, skinny boy with messy blonde hair and deep blue eyes. He wore a black hoodie underneath a white chest plate, with some basic pauldrons and wrist guards to protect him. His legs were covered by a pair of jeans with a tear in the left knee, and he wore sneakers of all things. His weapon, a sword and a scabbard that transformed into a shield collectively called Crocea Mors, was a family heirloom that had apparently been passed down the Arc line for several generations. In Horst's experience with the boy, he was a clumsy and nervous lad, but he was dedicated to his team. Apparently during their initiation, Jaune had shown excellent leadership ability as they team had gone up against a rather large Deathstalker. In Horst's opinion, the boy had two faults: he had low self-esteem, and he was incredibly dense, if the looks his red headed partner kept sending him were anything to judge by.

Jaune's partner was the extraordinarily talented Pyrra Nikos, a tournament champion from Mistral and a very effective fighter. Her vibrant, crimson hair was tied into a ponytail and held back by a golden band that wrapped around her forehead to keep her bangs out of her eyes during combat. Her emerald green eyes were kind and comforting, though Horst had seen them harden into gems of cold calculation during combat. She wore an armored golden corset and a crimson hoplite skirt, with two ammunition pouches on her back. A red ribbon dangled trailed from her left hip, and golden armored greaves protected her legs from harm. She wielded a bronze hoplite shield and a javelin/rifle/sword combo called Milo, and she used all three forms of the weapon to startling effect. Pyrra was a caring and humble individual, and it was clear to everyone except the blonde idiot in the room that she was affectionate on one Jaune Arc.

The two looked at each other sheepishly, then turned half way in their seats to look up at their instructor, their knees nearly touching. Horst scratched his chin thoughtfully for a moment, then pointed a gloved finger at Jaune.

"Mr. Arc, what is Pyrra's standard engagement range?" It was an easy question, but Jaune was clearly not expecting to explain his partners abilities to another person. The blonde looked at Pyrra again, as if looking for some sort of cue, before hesitantly answering.

"Uh...I think she's mostly comfortable at medium range. Pyrra lets the enemy come to her and picks them apart, and if she needs to get closer and bash them with her shield she can. If they like the fire from far away, she can use her rifle while under the protection of her shield, and throw her javelin too." Jaune's cheeks tinted slightly red as he described his partner's fighting style, but her reassuring smile helped him to continue. "She's mostly defensive, but if the enemy shows weakness she can strike quickly and shift through the forms of her weapon while attacking. She keeps her enemy off balance and can fight several at once if she has to, and she can block with her sword as well as her shield." Jaune concluded with an embarrassed chuckle. Horst grinned at the assessment.

"That's exactly what I'm looking for. Well done, Mr. Arc." Jaune rubbed the back of his head sheepishly, not used to getting praise from someone other than Pyrra or Ruby, and definitely not used to praise from a teacher. Then, Horst turned to Pyrra.

"Now, Ms. Nikos. If Mr. Arc had to improve on anything, what would you suggest?" Pyrra looked at Jaune with a sidelong glance, before focusing on Horst again.

"Well, I would say that he's too stationary at times, and he needs more practice in reading his opponents. If he can stay moving and predict his enemy's moves, his strong aura and shield can help him get close enough to do some serious damage." Pyrra finished, and Jaune groaned at the criticism. To Horst, he felt that she had gone easy on the boy, but that battle was not his to fight. If the dunce couldn't see the woman right in front of him, it wasn't Horst's problem. Yet.

"Very good. Now then, Ren and Nora..."

Horst went through each pair of partners, asking different questions every time to see just how well the students knew each other, and overall he was pleased with the results. The children had clearly spent numerous hours with each other, but practicing and just hanging out, and he detected none of the unfamiliarity that sometimes gummed up Guardian missions when he had worked with the Vanguard. Unlike the Guardians, who were usually loners except in times of great need or battle, the students of Beacon were trained to fight together since their initiation. It made them all the stronger, but the strong bonds of their childhood could break them in their later years if someone died.

 _No, don't start down that road again._ Horst chastised himself. _Let them live out their adolescence before you start preparing them for death._

Glynda never appeared to take over, so after he finished going over how well the students knew each other, Horst jumped back down into the arena. After he landed, the Titan turned and faced his students with a grin.

"I realize that some of you are still sore from our sparring matches yesterday, so I won't pressure you any more today. However, I do have a few more things to say." Horst paused and looked at all three first year teams slowly, focusing his gaze upon every one of them. "Next month, one team at a time will be spending a week with me in Emerald Forest. We will be clearing the area of Grimm, as well as exploring a few training opportunities. I've already taken care of your other classes; the other professors will not penalize you for mission out on their classes. Now, are there any questions?" As soon as he asked, several hands went up. Horst pointed out Pyrra, and the girl stood before asking her question.

"Professor Horst, will you be observing us on these trips, or will you help us clear out the Grimm as well?" She asked curiously. Several other students nodded, and Horst could guess why. Even though he'd handled them all expertly the previous day, the inky darkness he had moved through had prevented the students from seeing him fight. Horst chuckled at her question, but it was a fair one.

"I have nothing to gain from cutting down a few extra Ursai, and the repetition is good to build up endurance. In most cases, it will be the your jobs to fight the Grimm. However, should we encounter more difficult creatures, I will not be above helping you out." Horst smirked. "If a Goliath or two discover us while we are in the forest, I'll be more than happy to assist you in removing them. Just know that I will be watching, even in the heat of combat. Your grades will reflect whatever teamwork and communication you employ. Our advantage over the Grimm is cooperation and camaraderie. These savage beasts seek only to destroy us, and move together in little more than packs. You must out think the monsters, or fall to their numbers and strength." A few more hands came up, and Horst pointed at Blake next.

"You mentioned that we would be doing something besides clearing Grimm. What other exercises do you have in mind?" Horst smiled wryly at her, and wagged a finger.

"Now now, that would be telling. Each team will have an objective to accomplish by the end of the week, but I won't tell you what it is until we make camp in the forest. Just know that Emerald Forest has many secrets underneath its branches." The mystery was necessary; he needed them as unprepared as possible. If they didn't know what he was going to ask of them, they would have to make general preparations, the same that any Huntsman or Huntress would when going into an unknown situation. It was a teaching strategy that promoted as much forward thinking as it did flexibility.

Before any other students could ask more questions, the buzzer rang through the halls, signaling the end of class. Horst clapped his hands when it ended, and the students began gathering their things.

"Professor Goodwitch will send the details of next month's excursions to your scrolls. In the meantime, I want you all to think about how your teammates can improve. Remember, we will be far away from any form of back up. What you bring could save you, or get you killed." Jaune winced when the Titan said that, and immediately began discussing with Pyrra what supplies they should bring, even if the mission was weeks away. The students filed out together, and Horst followed them; lunch was calling his name.

* * *

As the bright stars twinkled in the obsidian sky, a familiar din of swords meeting each other fiercely echoed from the rooftop of the dormitories, where Jaune and Pyrra spent a lot of time training. It was more for Jaune's benefit than Pyrra's, though she had picked up on a few tactics that Jaune had tried in his efforts to beat her. The Mistral champion had been helping Jaune improve with his swordplay, and together they had made quite a bit of progress. Tonight, however, Jaune seemed distracted. Pyrra noticed it before they ever readied their blades, and she slung hers back into place across her back in puzzlement.

"Jaune, what's the matter? Normally you're ready to go by this time." She said with a shrug. Jaune sighed and his shoulders slumped, before he too put his blade away. Apparently, he had some things to settle before they could practice.

"Professor Horst's mission has me nervous. I mean, I know Ozpin made me the team leader, but I don't know anything about getting ready for a field trip like this." He rubbed the back of his head nervously. "I guess the short version is that I don't want to let you guys down." Pyrra smiled at his consternation; it was things like this that had earned her feelings toward Jaune. No matter how much he thought that he wasn't ready, he always thought of his team first. Where alone he would likely be crushed, the blonde knight often used his team as his strength. He fought three times as hard to defend his friends, as if the act of protecting them gave him strength and a certainty that he simply did not possess on his own. It was an admirable quality, but it was also why they spent nearly every night practicing. That, and she enjoyed spending time with him.

"There's no reason to be nervous. This will be just like our initiation. We'll go in, fight some Grimm, do something for Professor Horst, and then we'll be back by the weekend. It's nothing we can't handle." The redheaded warrior stepped closer to Jaune, placing a comforting hand on his shoulder. "It's nothing _you_ can't handle." She reinforced her goodwill in him, and her words seemed to cheer Jaune up a bit. His shoulders regained some of their strength, and he chuckled nervously.

"Yeah, I guess you're right. We'll be able to handle it no problem." He still didn't sound entirely convinced, but it was a week away. More than enough time to prepare. "You know Pyrra, I don't think I'd have made it this far without your help. You've done so much for me, and I haven't really earned it." The gratitude sent some color to Pyrra's cheeks, but she laughed off his apology. He really was dense sometimes. Put Jaune Arc in a fight with a Deathstalker, and he'll coordinate an attack to tear the Grimm apart. Stick him in a partnership with a girl that had a crush on him, and he was more dense than his shield.

"You don't have to earn it, Jaune. We're friends, and we're teammates. It's our responsibility to make sure that both of us are at our best. I don't mind helping you out in the slightest, and you've done more for me than you think." Jaune blanched at that, then placed his hands on his hips in incredulity. He had helped Pyrra, the champion of Mistral? He couldn't help a fish swim!

"What could I have possibly done? I mean, if anyone's prepared for everything, it's you, Pyrra. I've seen you fight, and your grades are always really high. I don't see how I've helped you out."

"Do you remember when we first met, the day of our initiation?" The redhead asked, and Jaune groaned at the memory.

"I remember hitting on Weiss until I got pinned to a wall with Milo." He said dryly. "And then there was the landing strategy, the Deathstalker cave, fighting a Giant Nevermore..." Pyrra giggled at the memory, despite the small flare of jealousy she felt as he mentioned the Schnee heiress. Jaune still seemed to be infatuated with the Ice Queen, despite repeated and insistent refusals on her part. Pyrra didn't dislike Weiss, but she felt that Jaune's attentions were wasted on the girl. Especially when there was someone more receptive to him closer to home.

"Yes, but besides that. Weiss was asking me to team up with her before the initiation. You cut in, and you didn't even know who I am." Pyrra walked over to the edge of the roof and sat down, content that they wouldn't be swinging swords for a moment. Besides, if she kept up this line of conversation, maybe the blonde dunce would actually pick up all the hints she'd dropped for nearly two semesters. Without hesitation, Jaune joined her at the edge, and together they each hung a leg off the roof, propping up against each other to fight off the cold that pervaded the late night. The contact sent shivers of a different nature up Pyrra's spine, but Jaune likely chalked it up to the chill.

"You were completely ignorant to the things that make people treat me like I'm something above them, something more than a regular girl." Pyrra continued. "When someone's been placed on a pedestal for as long as I have, that kind of candor is appreciated." Her green eyes held his blue ones in a locked gaze for some time, before her nerves forced her to look away. Why was this so difficult?

"Ah, don't sweat it. I didn't recognize Professor Ozpin the first time I met him until I nearly spilled his tea all over him." Jaune muttered, reliving the embarrassing time when he had encountered Beacon's Headmaster. Glynda had nearly wrung his neck for it, although Ozpin himself had been unfazed by Jaune's clumsiness.

"But that's not it. Even after you found out who I was, you've always treated me like a person, not some tournament champion or action star that people are supposed to idolize. To you, I'm just Pyrra, not the four time Mistral Champion, or the Pumpkin Pete's Marshmallow mascot." Jaune chuckled at that.

"Come on, you have to admit the cereal thing was awesome." Pyrra giggled too, but she shook her head.

"It was a lot of posing and money. Really, I don't know how anyone can eat that cereal. It's not very good for you." Pyrra was notorious for her healthy diet, though it wasn't quite as exclusive as some other students at Beacon. She mainly relied on fish, poultry, and a combination of fruits and vegetables. Every now and then some red meat was enjoyable, but a sugar loaded breakfast like Pumpkin Pete's was just beyond the redhead.

"It's not like I've saved you from fame or something. I just...you're my partner. That's it; end of story. The other stuff is cool and all, but we've known each other the entire time we've been at Beacon. I can't treat you like that. I know you too well." Jaune said as he leaned back, his hands behind his head as he stared up at the stars. _Not as well as you could._ Pyrra thought with a roll of her eyes, and leaned back to join him. Together, they watched the stars high above Vale twinkle and light of the night sky, joined by Remnant's shattered moon. To Pyrra, it was almost romantic, were it not for Jaune's total obliviousness.

"Pyrra?" Jaune asked quietly. The champion turned her head to look at him, but he kept looking up at the sky.

"Yes, Jaune?" The blonde leader of JNPR seemed to have a lot on his mind tonight, but he trusted her. After all, that's what partners were for, right?

To be fair, it had been Pyrra that had brought about their partnership in the initiation. When she'd seen Jaune flying through the air in an uncontrolled descent, she could have easily just moved on and found a more competent partner. Granted, without his Aura, Jaune would have likely broken something, and at his skill level at the time a broken arm or leg would have spelled death in a forest full of Grimm. And even after they had paired up, Pyrra never once complained about having Jaune for her partner. He was kind, funny, and always thoughtful of his teammates and friends.

"I don't think I'm going to keep bugging Weiss anymore." He said flatly. Pyrra's eyes widened at that, but thankfully Jaune was too busy staring up at the stars to notice. He was giving up on Weiss? Score!

"W-what makes you say that?" Pyrra asked hesitantly. The blonde goof had set her out before with open ended statements like this, but she couldn't assume the wrong thing about this one. Jaune heaved a deep sigh, and then rolled his head to look at her. As his warm breath ghosted across her face, Pyrra was suddenly reminded of how close they were. Not that she was complaining, mind you, but she didn't need the distraction that his proximity brought on.

"I don't think she's ever going to be interested in a guy like me. I mean, come on. I'm a nobody. I'm just going to give up on her." He flapped his arms down in exasperation, and Pyrra propped herself up on one arm. She frowned at his words, but now she had a chance: did she dare push Jaune away from Weiss, in hopes of scooping him up herself? She didn't want to belittle Weiss; it was poor form to speak ill of someone when they weren't present to defend themselves, but Weiss had not earned the nickname Ice Queen by handing out puppies and chocolate chip cookies.

"Well, I think you're wonderful. Just because Weiss doesn't think you are boyfriend material doesn't mean there's anything wrong with you. It just means you two aren't compatible." Pyrra said, hoping against hope that he'd take the compliment. Jaune didn't answer for a time, but his lips did turn upward in something resembling a smile.

"Thanks, Pyrra. I guess there's plenty more fish in the sea." He sighed again. "I don't suppose you know any single girls around here looking for a boyfriend, do you?" He asked with a laugh. Pyrra echoed his laugh, but inside she was freaking out. She had to play this just right, or Jaune would never realize just how she felt about him. And sometimes, guys like Jaune just needed a lot of prodding.

"Well, I haven't exactly been dating anyone while we've been here, you know." Pyrra led out, and Jaune scoffed immediately.

"Oh please. I bet there are a hundred guys out there just waiting to show you how awesome they are." Sometimes, Jaune's low self esteem was a real thorn in her side. Especially considering how close he was to figuring out that she liked him. Pyrra bit back her irritation, however, and moved past it.

"How many guys have you seen me spend a lot of time around?" She asked, and Jaune thought about it, his eyes rolling up as he searched his memory.

"Huh, now that you mention it, not many. Weird." She pressed on, not wanting him to just drop the subject. He was starting to get tired of the discussion, she knew. When they had turned the conversation to focus on her, he automatically assumed that he was beneath her and not worthy of her attentions. Jaune was always overly humble, but he was worth more than he let on.

"I spend the most time with my team. And since Ren and Nora are pretty much a thing..."

"I'm pretty sure that they've made it clear that they're not 'together' together." Jaune said, using finger quotes, though he blanched nervously at Pyrra's deadpan expression. The champion's patience was wearing thin as her partner's total obliviousness now that she was taking a more active role in attracting his attention.

"I have no romantic interest whatsoever in my friend Ren, and those two are absolutely together." Was it intentional? Did he really think that he was so far out of her league that it was impossible for her to like him?

"I guess you and I hang out a lot. Like, all the time really." Jaune leaned up to prop himself up on an elbow. The expression on his face was honest, though she could hear the care in his voice as he spoke. "We're partners. That's what partners do: we stick together." With that, Pyrra knew that she would have to be more direct. There was just no way that the lovable blonde leader of team JNPR was going to understand the subtle signs that Pyrra was sending him.  
Her mouth set in a thin line, Pyrra stood up, earning a curious look from Jaune as she walked several paces away, then turned to face him in a fighter's stance.

Jaune clambered up from the ground and approached her, pulling his sword out even as she drew hers. Jaune went to question just what had made her stand, but he was too late to do anything other than block a wicked slash towards his face and back up. Pyrra pushed the attack with lightning quick strikes, though he was barely able to keep up thanks to how often they would practice. However, he wasn't quite on the same level as Pyrra, and it became painfully obvious as she pushed him towards the edge of the roof. Panic welled up in Jaune's chest as she continued to push on him, her arms a blur as he defended himself from every strike she threw at him.

Just as he reached the edge, his heel slipped off of the roof and he flailed to keep his balance, teetering precariously over oblivion. His heart beat wildly in his chest, and he reached out a hand to for Pyrra to help.

"Whoa! Pyrra!" He cried, and almost took the tumble to the ground far below. His eyes widened as he looked down, and his vision swam as he looked at the ground below in fear. His aura was strong, but an unprepared landing onto the ground below was sure to break a few ribs. Just when he thought the plunge was certain, strong hand grasped him by the top of the chest plate and hauled him forward and away from the edge.

"Pyrra, you almost -" Jaune started to ask exactly why his redheaded partner had forced him out and into empty space, when something warm pressed against his cheek. Just when he turned to look at what it was, Pyrra released her hold on him and turned around to exit the rooftop, her stride relaxed but purposeful, and she even swung her hips a little. Hesitantly, the blonde knight lifted a hand to his cheek and stared after her, dumbfounded at what was beginning to process in his mind. Had Pyrra actually _kissed him_? The concept was so alien, and yet, he could still feel the lingering traces of her lips on his cheek. The idea completely shut down Jaune's brain, and a well of emotions swirled within him at the possibility. Pyrra Nikos, champion of Mistral, not to mention the best fighter on his team, actually liked him? The concept absolutely floored him that someone as amazing as Pyrra thought that he was worth her time. When his partner reached the stairs, she turned and looked at him, a genuine happy smile on her face. Still dumbstruck, the blonde just stared at her, and it coaxed a giggle from the champion.

"We'll practice more tomorrow night, Jaune. I'm sure you've got plenty to think about." With that, she turned and left, heading back down to the dorms and leaving Jaune alone on the rooftop. The blonde just stared at the place where Pyrra had just been, and soon the mental cogs started turning again. With all the information rushing to the poor boy's brain, he could only utter two words.

"No way." With that, he finally broke the paralysis that Pyrra had placed on him, and dashed to the stairs to catch up with his partner. Up above the now empty rooftop, the stars twinkled in merriment as one more clueless boy finally got the hint. The night continued in pristine silence, until a deep, gruff voice disturbed the tranquility.

"Traveler, that was painful to watch." Professor Horst muttered from his window just below the roof. He had heard the two talking after their brief bout and had opted to listen while polishing Chimera. When the combat had begun again, he had lifted himself up high enough to watch the two spar across the rooftop until Jaune almost fell off, which meant he'd also seen Pyrra's peck on the cheek before sashaying away from the stunned boy. With the rooftop quiet once again, Horst climbed back down and closed his window, content to harass the two in the next day's class.

* * *

As the week progressed, team RWBY settled in nicely as Beacon picked back up on its usual routine, though the Atlesian troops and their security mechs standing on every corner for security certainly added some concern. Blake, Yang, and Weiss all had different reactions to it. Blake felt that the added security was hostile, since there was no evidence that the troops had been requested by Professor Ozpin. Yang just thought that as long as the soldiers didn't go kicking doors down, they could stand on the street corners all day. Weiss felt the added security was a comfort, considering their encounters last semester with Roman Torchwick and the White Fang. Ruby herself didn't know what to think about the armored men and droids walking around campus, but she didn't really feel it necessary to form an opinion. Often in complicated situations like these, raging opinions harmed more than helped. As a side note, Weiss barely heard from Jaune Arc anymore, and though she considered it nothing but a blessing, the other girls wondered what the reason was.

While team RWBY concerned themselves (or didn't) with the new security from Atlas, team JNPR was adjusting to a new situation of their own. Or rather, an old one that was finally realized. Now that Jaune was aware of Pyrra's affections, he had reciprocated them in kind. The two weren't officially dating yet, but there had been several times when they had shared a moment that otherwise would have gone unnoticed by Jaune. With her feelings finally being returned, Pyrra was on Cloud Nine, and the two had spent some of their time together just watching the stars and going out to eat, although that didn't put an end to their nightly training sessions that kept Professor Horst awake. If anything, they went through each class looking forward to the night, when it would be just the two of them and the open sky. It also wasn't uncommon to see the two holding hands as they moved from class to class, though anything more than hand holding was reserved for later. Nora cashed in her bet with Ren, but the extravagant amount that the two wagered was leveled out by all the pancakes Ren had made her.

Team CRDL was still a group of hormonally charged teenagers, but their leader had picked on his fellow students a lot less over the past week. When questioned about it, Cardin refused to answer and merely changed the subject, although he had been seen talking privately with Professor Horst several times. Despite how much he was intimidated by the man, Cardin seemed to have some amount of respect for the Titan, and his behavior had changed slightly for the better. The teen was still a jerk at times and didn't stop harassing people completely, but his behavior was much better than it had been the previous semester.

As for Professor Horst, the Atlesian Military swooping in had caused nothing but problems for him. Where during the first two days he had spent on Remnant he had spoken with Professor Ozpin several times, the new presence of Atlas' soldiers and mechs made approaching the Headmaster without scrutiny impossible, and there was no way to contact him without his scroll being monitored. It also prevented Horst from sending Switch, knowing that a bunch of gear heads like Atlas would saw off their own feet for a chance to probe the Ghost's inner workings. As security slowly built up to cover the campus, he moved between the training room, the mess hall, and his dorm exclusively. His status as a teacher got him past most security checkpoints without a second glance, but when he wore his armor they tended to get antsy. It wasn't as if men wearing light armor and untrained in the ways of Huntsmen could harm him, but he simply didn't need the drama that an incident would cause. He kept his chest plate, pauldrons, and helmet in his dormitory, and largely taught with just his gauntlets and greaves on. It made the Atlesians less nervous, and it wasn't a bad looking outfit to be honest. Chimera remained in his room as well, but he kept a Vanguard-issued Hakke sidearm on the inside of his jacket just in case things got out of hand.

General Ironwood had spoken with Horst once, only noticing the Titan because of his scarred visage and mangled eye. They had talked for a short time, mostly Ironwood making conversation as an excuse to learn more about Horst. The Titan had answered his questions politely, but he had also lied about many of his origins. As Ozpin had said, the General would likely strap him to a table if he ever found out that Horst was not a native of Remnant. Nevertheless, the two had a decent talk as they reflected on the students and their goals. Atlas had brought a contingent of students with all their soldiers, and Mistral and Vacuo had sent some of their students as well. All of the foreign students were present for the Vytal Festival Tournament, though they were required to attend classes as well. Horst's class of three teams climbed to ten, and he was forced to let Glynda do most of the talking, lest he draw more attention to himself. As a result, the foreign students saw a scarred veteran that barely participated and spoke very little, yet all of Beacon's students seemed to hold him in high regard.

Switch had been transmitting data throughout their time at Beacon, though the signals had quite a way to travel considering that they were in another part of the galaxy. They had received message fragments with Ghost encryption, but they were largely too corrupted to make sense of. The word 'Taken' appeared several times, but the messages were too fragmented to extrapolate their meanings. More data bursts were likely incoming, but until they received them Horst continued with their current plan: train the potential first generation of new Guardians and keep his head down until Ironwood decided to mind his own business elsewhere. The White Fang's activities had died down with the sudden military presence, but both sides knew that the lull was temporary. The group was clearly biding their time, waiting for a chink in the armor of Atlas' forces to appear.

With all these things going on, team RWBY was having a debacle of their own. Blake had become reclusive and antisocial, abandoning their team activities and barely paying attention in class. While she usually kept to herself, Blake's behavior did not go unnoticed by the rest of her team. As she usually did, Weiss confronted the team's shadow about her actions. Blake trusted her teammates, and in the end she had relented. Despite their break in between semesters, the incident at the docks still weighed heavily on her mind.

During the previous semester, Blake's Faunus heritage had been revealed in a day long argument between Blake and Weiss, that ended with Blake revealing her past involvement in the White Fang and fleeing from the room and disappearing for a whole day. While the other members of RWBY had searched for her, Blake had encountered Sun Wukong: a blonde monkey Faunus from Haven. Together, Blake and Sun scouted out a possible White Fang operation at the docks, only to discover that the Faunus rights group turned terrorist organization was working in concert with Roman Torchwick, a very outspoken speciesist and general crook responsible for Dust robberies across half the city. Blake and Sun had confronted Roman and his White Fang thugs, but were nearly overwhelmed until Ruby and her new friend Penny showed up. Roman had removed Ruby from the fight rather quickly, but Penny displayed a combat prowess not expected from the strange girl. With spinning blades controlled by barely visible wires and an impressive beam cannon, Penny had defeated the White Fang members and sliced two Bullheads in half, before pulling a third down into the ground with her strength alone. After that, Penny had disappeared, and Weiss had given Blake an earful; not for her actions in the terrorist group that regularly executed friends and members of the Schnee family, but for the fact that she had kept her problems to herself. After extracting a promise from Blake that she would confide in them if anything came up, the heiress had unexpectedly left it at that.

And here Blake was, bottling up all of her problems again. In the end though, she relented. The White Fang's involvement with a crook like Roman Torchwick had her concerned, and the knowledge that they were responsible for Dust robberies all across Vale simply meant that something was up. When she made her concerns known, team RWBY did exactly what she expected them to: they offered to help. Weiss offered to check the Schnee Dust Company's records for any evidence of robberies or inconsistencies, Yang knew a club owner near the more criminally inclined portion of Vale that likely knew something about operation, and Blake would sneak into a White Fang faction meeting to find out what they were planning. When Sun and Neptune offered their help as well, the six students put the finishing touches on their plans and went about the rest of the day, waiting to enter the city and start their investigation.

Unbeknownst to them, Professor Ozpin was also addressing the White Fang problem, albeit in a similar manner. In the rush of the mess hall being flooded with more students than usual, the gray-haired Headmaster had managed to have a private word with Professor Horst, and he outlined his plan to his new ally.

"I'm afraid I'll have to ask you to investigate the White Fang's actions a little earlier than we had planned." Ozpin's voice was not difficult to pick out over the conversations of nearly a hundred students talking around them. Horst cocked an eyebrow and crossed his arms, as interested in the new development as he was eager for an excuse to get out of Beacon for a night. The Atlesians were just too damned nosy.

"What has happened that makes you so concerned?" Horst asked, and Ozpin smirked.

"Do you remember when I said team RWBY had a penchant for finding trouble?" Horst nodded. "Well, it seems that all four girls have found ways to exclude themselves from this evening's classes. The last time they did this, there was a battle at the docks." Ozpin sipped his tea from what had to be a surgically attached mug, considering how often he was seen with it. Horst scratched his chin thoughtfully.

"They'll likely wait for dark, but yes. That does sound like they are up to something." Horst reasoned.

"I was also wondering why a male student from Haven was hanging upside down in front of a window leading into an all girl room, and I was fortunate enough to overhear their conversation." Ozpin added, and Horst chuckled at that. Luck did not have sway over Professor Ozpin; the man's every move was planned and executed. The absences must have tipped him off, and it was not difficult to lean up against a wall and listen to a conversation held just above him.

"I take it you want me to shadow them?" Ozpin sipped his tea and shook his head in a negative.

"Unfortunately, they plan to split up tonight. Ms. Belladonna and Mr. Wukong will be attending a White Fang faction meeting to understand their plans. Ms. Rose and Ms. Schnee will be making a call to the SDC, and Ms. Xiao Long and Mr. Vasilias will be attending a club near the docks to acquire information." Ozpin summarized. "Because of their proximity to danger, I would like you to follow Ms. Belladonna and her friend. They are most at risk should things go wrong, and they also have the best chance at discovering this nefarious plan." The Headmaster finished, and Horst had to admit that the girls were both good planners and well connected. He liked team RWBY, but it seemed that he would have to reevaluate his opinion of them. For a bunch of teenage girls, they were resourceful and connected.

"Do you spy on all of your students, or just the ones prone to trouble?" Instead of answering Horst's question, Ozpin simply sipped his tea and let the question pass him by. Once he was silent enough to get the point across that he wasn't answering that particular question, the Headmaster inclined his head.

"Are you sure that you can do this? It will require some form of tact and stealth, so your shiny gleaming armor may be a hindrance." Horst scoffed and popped the collar on his jacket, its movement revealing the sidearm holstered underneath his left arm for a moment before it was again hidden by the blue garment.

"My Light protects me no matter what I'm wearing. My armor may provide additional protection, but I'm confident that I can handle most enemies without it. I'll leave my sword behind as well; a giant cleaver that spits fire isn't exactly a subtle weapon." Ozpin nodded in agreement. Chimera was an impressive blade to be sure, but a Huntsman near a White Fang meeting would attract a lot more attention than some common mercenary walking the perimeter. With the plan laid out, Horst would need time to prepare for his mission. Almost on cue, Ozpin looked behind the Titan to see General Ironwood heading their way, his hands clasped behind him as he crossed the mess hall in a leisurely stride. Horst nodded to the Headmaster and made his exit, walking past the General with barely a nod as he passed. Ironwood's gaze rested on Horst as the Titan exited the mess hall, before turning to Ozpin.

"What was that all about?" He asked, genuinely curious. Ozpin sipped his tea and shrugged.

"My new professor has a team he wants to supervise. I'm sure he'll take care of it though."

* * *

Sure enough, six students boarded a transport to the city just past five. Horst had loaded up on handgun magazines and beat them there, so when the Bullhead dropped them off he was ready for them. The six students had reviewed their plan one last time before splitting up, Weiss and Ruby heading for the Central Communications Tower, while Blake and Sun started towards the docks and industrial district to dig around for any recruitment efforts by the White Fang. Yang and Neptune remained nearby, instead heading towards the garage situated near the transport depot. As all six stepped out of sight, Horst stood from the bench he had been seated at and slid his hands into his pockets, the random city prowler heading home from whatever trouble he had gotten into that day.

For hours, Horst followed the two Faunus students as they combed the low income areas of Vale, looking for any sign of White Fang activity. Because of the discrimination faced in every day life, it wasn't often that you ran into a successful Faunus citizen. As it stood, many were denied job opportunities and services simply because of their heritage. Thus, the best place to find a Faunus-exclusive terrorist group would be in a residential area filled with oppressed Faunus people. Because of its central area and modular construction, the slums of Vale were easy to observe from just a few vantage points. Horst had kept his eye on Blake and Sun from on high, in several cases watching them for an hour from a single balcony or rooftop. When the low income housing had been built, it had been done on bottom dollar. As such, many of the houses were constructed the same, and the streets were straight and littered with garbage. The disposal companies operated less often in the Faunus neighborhoods not because of discrimination, but simply because few could afford their services. The Vale Public Waste Disposal Committee sent a truck around every two weeks, but for some families that literally bred like rabbits, a lot of rubbish would stack up in between pick ups.

Horst had been forced to hide in a dumpster at one point, as Blake's cautious nature had nearly noticed his eyes on them. Her previous activities in the White Fang had prepared the girl for activities such as this, and she was no stranger to being followed. Horst had spent thirty minutes in that stinking dumpster before she had moved on, and even then he had kept his distance; not only because of her paranoia, but also because of their heightened sense of smell. The stench of garbage clung to him like a wet napkin, and he'd taken the time to spray off the worst of the refuse while they had spoken with a shop keeper. The large Titan had earned several questioning looks from the residents of the neighborhoods, but a scarred human veteran turned mercenary was common in this part of the city. It seemed that everyone around here was down on their luck.

As evening gave way to night, Blake and Sun finally caught a break. A sympathetic bear of a book keeper had pointed the two to an abandoned warehouse at the edge of the industrial district, which was really no surprise. When the SDC had chased most of their competitors out of Vale, a lot of the warehouses built to hold merchandise coming in from the sea had been left vacant, ripe for abuse from the criminal element. Horst knew that taking the rooftops was unwise; the White Fang had survived this long on suspicion and diligence, and there were likely sentries guarding the upper approaches. Horst followed them down several alleys, but soon enough a doorman stood between Blake and Sun and the White Fang. After confirming their Faunus traits, the man handed both of them a mask and let them pass. Horst could see that the warehouse the doorman was guarding was well protected, and it was poor luck that they were close to the edge of the residential quadrant. The streets were wide and there were few alleys to exploit, and there were undoubtedly White Fang agents patrolling in the guise of people out for a leisurely walk. As Horst peered around the corner of another warehouse, this fact became painfully clear as a hand wrapped around his arm. Or rather, it attempted to; the Titan's bicep proved too large for whoever was stupid enough to grab him to get their hand fully around his arm.

Horst spun around to see three people in hoodies and jeans, their hoods pulled up to hide their Faunus traits. Judging from the bulges in their hoods, he was dealing with a couple of deer and a dog Faunus. The dog Faunus was a youth, much shorter than Horst and a thin young man with a petulant sneer on his face, as if his two friends would be enough to subdue their large prey. Then again, Horst looked like a guy that had lost too many fights already, so he couldn't begrudge their mistake too much.

"Look what we have here, fellas." The dog Faunus sneered. "A human sneaking around in White Fang territory." The deer Faunus behind him nodded eagerly, and one of them cracked his knuckles in what was likely intended to be an ominous manner. The fact that only two knuckles popped did little to intimidate the Titan. They were kids, rebels eagerly looking for a cause that promised to relieve them of the oppression of the human government. That being said, Horst couldn't allow them to report his location.

"We'll show you what happens to hum-" The dog boy wasn't able to finish his threat before Horst jerked his arm free and grabbed him by both arms. The Titan then slammed his forehead into the boy's nose, the impact announced by a grizzly crunch, and did so several more times until the Faunus teen was limp in his grip. Horst dropped the unconscious boy to the ground and dashed forward, the two deer Faunus paralyzed fear as he closed in. Horst threw a few punches, aimed towards their guts, and when the two bowed low to cover their injured stomachs he grabbed them by the backs of their heads and slammed them together, knocking them both out cold. The entire fight had lasted maybe twelve seconds, but the noise could have attracted attention. Horst grabbed the ankle of the dog Faunus and dragged him over to another dumpster. When all three were safely hidden in a garbage dump that reeked of fish, the Titan made his way to the other side of the warehouse that Blake and Sun had entered. To his luck, there was a portion of the roof that ran next to some dirty windows. A guard patrolled the rooftop, his pronounced bat ears jutting from underneath the black hood issued to all White Fang regulars. His heightened sense of hearing did little to help him with Horst. The Titan intentionally scraped some gravel with his boots, bringing the sentry running instead of calling for backup like a proper watchman. As soon as the Faunus turned the corner, Horst's glove covered fist nearly made him turn a flip as he was clotheslined. Horst dragged the unconscious sentry behind a pair of air conditioning units and gently approached the windows.

Through the grimy windows tinted with age, he could see a significant amount of White Fang members in their white vests and black hoods gathered in front of what looked like a stage. The stage was slightly raised, and a large black curtain hung from the ceiling, bearing the crimson wolf head with three claw marks that symbolized the White Fang. There was a line of Faunus in plain clothes as well, likely new recruits from Horst's reasoning. Within the ranks of the White Fang initiates, Horst could barely make out Blake's outfit and Sun's bright blonde hair. As they stood in formation with the rest of the White Fang hopefuls, a lieutenant paced the stage and welcomed the assembled Faunus. Horst was too far away to hear the man's words, and his face was hidden by a full mask. However, the man that the White Fang lieutenant motioned to take the stage was much more recognizable.

As Roman Torchwick took the stage, Horst immediately disliked him. The man had orange hair that fell across his face, obscuring his right eye from view. He wore a black bowler hat with a red ribbon and a feather sticking out of it. An expensive looking white jacket had its collar turned up, and it was buttoned up to cover his business shirt and tie beneath it. The jacket extended past his waist, and he wore an expensive pair of dark brown slacks and matching loafers. His hands were covered in belted gloves, and he walked with a cane that appeared more for fashion than function, although according to his criminal file the cane was a weapon as well. Judging from his expressions and his body language, the man just oozed smugness and arrogance. Bits and parts of his loud speech came through the dirty glass, but nothing Horst could glean. At first, the crowd seemed displeased with the presence of a human at their meeting. And after all, why would a pro-Faunus terrorist group work with a human, their proclaimed enemy? But as the career criminal continued to speak, Horst could see the effect that his words were having on the White Fang members. Several were nodding, and soon they took up cheers in support for Roman. As if that was the sign he was waiting for, Roman snapped his fingers, and the curtain behind him was thrown away.

What was revealed was a twenty foot tall mechsuit, painted black and emblazoned with the White Fang's crest. The giant battle suit was built similarly to a human, but its knee joints were inverted. The arms bore four large cannons, but a couple joints and some other attachments led Horst to believe that the battle suit could change its arms as the situation changed. A cockpit large enough to house a grown man sat in the 'chest' of the battle suit, well armored and bristling with rocket pods. It was a formidable piece of machinery, and the fact that it was in the hands of the White Fang was troublesome.

 _It seems that Ozpin was right to worry._ Horst thought. _But I'm not sure even he could anticipate this._ The unveiling of the war machine sent the White Fang members into a renewed frenzy, eagerly cheering on Roman as he bathed in their adoration. After he finished speaking, the initiates moved ahead to begin their orientation into the White Fang, and he could see that Blake and Sun were in a jam. If they moved deeper into the meeting, it would prove more difficult for them to slip away. With the unveiling and outline of their plans, Horst had no illusions on what would happen to Faunus attempting to back out now. To make matters worse, Roman seemed focused on the two students, and Horst had to assume that he recognized them. They needed a distraction, and fast.

Horst cocked his fist back and hammered the glass, shattering several of the hardened panes and causing a racket. All heads in the room turned to look at him, Blake and Sun included. As soon as Blake saw him, he saw her mouth harden into a thin line. They would likely speak later, but she knew that he was on her side. Excited murmurs echoed through the crowd as they looked up at him, and the armed guards pointed their guns and rifles up at him. While Blake and Sun looked for a way out, Horst had to keep attention on him.

"Hey, Torchwick!" He bellowed, earning a cocked eyebrow from the criminal mastermind. "You look like a twat!" A red flare streaked across the warehouse, detonating to Horst's left and sending more shards of glass raining down below. More bullets from the White Fang sentries followed Roman's angry shot, and Horst took that as a time to move. Almost as soon as he rose from the window and started running, the lights went out. Horst vaulted over a ventilation duct and leaped down to the ground on the residential side of the warehouse, where it was just wall and window. Almost as soon as he hit, another crash of breaking glass echoed from behind him, and Blake and Sun exploded from the second floor window.

Sun wore a white shirt that was opened down the middle, showing off his chiseled abdomen and chest. The collar was upturned, and it nearly touched his spiky golden hair. A pair of rolled up jeans and sneakers completed his casual look, though a pair of red and black gloves and bracers applied to the functionality of his outfit, and his blonde furred tail protruded from a hole in his jeans. Blake wore a white top that cut off to expose her midriff, and a pair of black pants and boots that made her look like she was ready for a night on the town. Her bow had been discarded upon entry to the warehouse, and a black skirt similar to Yang's bird feather skirt dangled behind her as the two Faunus flew through the air. Instead of waiting for them to catch up Horst took off running, confident that the faster Faunus students would catch up with him. As the three jumped over a car and found the rooftops of the houses, another loud crash came from the warehouse. Horst hazarded a look behind them, and was only slightly surprised to see the battle suit that had been on display just minutes prior charging toward them, its colossal weight moving with surprising speed. The three targets moved along the rooftops, leaping from building to building to stay above the stolen mech suit. As they ran, Blake turned to focus on Horst.

"Professor, did you follow us out here?" Her question sounded like an accusation, but they had no time for an argument.

"Didn't you just leave a White Fang rally? The Headmaster felt that you six were up to something. Aren't you glad I was here?" Blake didn't answer, focusing on crossing to the next roof as they continued to run. Sun, however, was not content to remain silent.

"We can talk about this later! How about some kind of backup?!" He cried, somersaulting over a chimney as they suddenly ran out of rooftop. The three jumped down onto the road to prevent the time consuming climb up the larger buildings that would expose them to the battle suit's guns. Once they were on the ground, the towering mech suit gained on them. Blake was calling for help into her scroll, but Horst knew that help was minutes away. Summoning Switch into his hand as they ran, Horst began planning on a counterattack. They had to get the machine away from the buildings, where they could fight it without fear of civilians getting hurt in the process. As Switch came to being in Horst's hand, his gaze focused on the charging behemoth behind the Titan.

"Switch, I need the Sparrow!" Horst ordered, but the Ghost was focused on their opponent.

"There's a giant machine chasing you." Switch observed. The little Ghost definitely chose his moments.

"Yes, there is!" Horst growled angrily. "Sparrow, NOW!" With that, Switch disappeared, and a chain of glittering cubes indicated that the Ghost was bringing in a ride. As they ran, a vehicle every Guardian used materialized next to Horst. It looked like a motorcycle, with handlebars and an elongated seat designed for great speeds. The Sparrow had no wheels, but rather hovered three feet off the ground. A pair of pedals on either side controlled acceleration and drift, and two elongated prongs extended out in front of the speeder. The entire thing was painted orange, with black trim along the sides. A thruster on the back spat orange fire, the energy trail following the Sparrow for several feet before disappearing.

Horst hopped onto the Sparrow with practiced ease, the energy trail glowing even brighter as he pushed a little boost into the engine. The Titan flew past Blake and Sun, holding out a hand and looking behind him. Blake must have caught on to his plan, as she drew Gambol Shroud and threw it. The pistol sword hybrid spun through the air, its ribbon clutched tightly in her hand as she ran. Horst caught the weapon and reared back in preparation. Blake and Sun met in the road, Sun wrapping an arm around Blake. As soon as the two were together, Horst heaved on the ribbon, throwing the two teens far in front of him. Just as he did, the residential section of Vale gave way to several suspended freeways. They had found the city's transit center, with cars dashing up and down the freeway at moderate speeds. Blake and Sun flew down onto the freeway, landing on cars and jumping ahead to maintain distance. The surprised drivers swerved at the sudden Faunus passengers on their cars, but nothing could prepare them for what came next.

Horst followed the street towards the freeway below, and their pursuer chose the pedestrian portion of their party down onto the freeway. The giant mech suit landed and hit the ground running, knocking cars flying as it charged after the two students. Horst zipped down toward the freeway along the road, the speed of his Sparrow outstripping any car that attempted to beat him onto the main road. The roar of an engine attracted his attention just as he merged onto the freeway, and the black and gold motorcycle called Bumblebee pulled up alongside of him. Yang and Neptune were riding it, with Yang driving and Neptune riding bi...err, riding on the back. Yang looked at Horst's Sparrow in surprise, though the Titan's presence may have been even more startling.

"Professor Horst?!" She cried out over the oncoming wind. Before he could reply, the tumbling cars thrown by their quarry forced the three to separate as they dodged the rolling slabs of metal. Horst's agile Sparrow proved more than capable of avoiding certain death, though he did have to use the Sparrow's lateral controls to dodge a few particularly dangerous cars. Yang proved to be a competent driver as well, sliding under and moving around the oncoming and sometimes airborne traffic. Whoever was piloting the battle suit, they seemed to be aware that Yang and Horst were on their tail. The two vehicles came together, and Horst hazarded yelling across the road.

"Yes, Professor Horst. Oh my gosh, why are you here, blah blah blah. We'll talk later, let's focus on taking out the giant robot!" Horst snarked. If his heated words affected Yang, she didn't show it.

"We've set up a trap further along. Just keep him moving forward!" Yang yelled. Together, the three increased their speed to better harass their armored enemy. Once they got close enough, Horst drew his sidearm from within his jacket and fired, the round pinging off the armored back of the mech suit to little effect. Neptune pulled his weapon from his back, a compact gun similar to a fusion rifle. The similarities continued as he charged the rifle before blasting the mech suit with four concentrated blasts of energy. Where Horst's bullets had done nothing, Neptune's blasts showed a little more effect as the armored behemoth pitched forward, compensating for the force lest it trip and roll.

Not content to simply sit and shoot, Neptune rolled the rifle in his hands, extending it with a shaft into a halberd, its blade gleaming with blue light. Using the momentum provided by Yang's motorcycle, he leaped into the air and stabbed deep into the armor on the mech suit's back. Once the blade stuck, Neptune held fast as the giant machine attempted to throw him off. Seeing his teammate in trouble, Sun tuned back around while on top of a van. The monkey Faunus placed his hands together and made some sort of sign, and suddenly his Aura produced two copies of himself, golden outlines of light that charged the mech suit. When they landed their strikes, the two copies exploded into golden dust. The battle suit definitely felt the impact, but it did nothing to slow down the charging robot. Sun extended his bow staff and leaped at the battle suit, only for Neptune's weapon to dislodge from the giant's back and send the blue-haired teen flying into Sun. Together, the two transfer students tumbled over the protective force field and off the freeway, essentially out of the fight. Horst watched the two fall, and could only hope that they would be alright. They had to get the battle suit off the freeway, and fast.

Just as he thought that, a figure in white flipped down from a higher portion of the freeway. Squinting to see who it was, Horst barely recognized Weiss, in a white overcoat and riding boots. As cars rushed past her, the Schnee heiress stood calmly and waited as the battle suit charged towards her. When he came within range, Weiss spun and channeled her Aura, coating the freeway in a thick layer of ice. Unprepared for the sudden slippery surface, the giant robot hit the ice and slid off the road, the protective barrier no match for the weight of the battle suit. Horst's Sparrow was unaffected by the ice, and Yang handled her bike across the surface expertly. Together, they followed their opponent off the side, Weiss jumping down with them.

Beneath the freeway, there was nothing but the support columns that kept the elevated roads up in the air. Flat concrete went in all directions, the perfect place to fight a foe such as this as long as they avoided knocking down too many columns. The four members of RWBY landed side by side, Blake falling down shortly after Weiss, and Ruby was already waiting on them. Horst let the Sparrow fall as it disintegrated, recalled back to the Iron Symphony by Switch. He landed behind the four girls, and together the five of them faced off against the towering metal giant.

"This is your team, Ms. Rose." Horst said as the battle suit locked down its feet to prevent another ice slip, two prongs sinking into the concrete. "You make the call, I'll provide support."

"Freezer burn!" The young team leader cried out. Together, everyone but Weiss and Yang backed off, and Weiss spun to create another sheet of ice on the ground. Once the slippery substances covered a fair bit of the concrete, Yang back flipped into the air, and then came down hard on the ice with a strike from Ember Celica. The resulting meeting of fire and ice shrouded the area in a thick mist, concealing the team and their instructor from view. The large battle suit could still be seen, but the pilot's visual range had been severely limited. To compensate, a collection of lasers light up the night as the mech suit struggled to find its quarry. The lasers tracked around the area, searching for something to break their contact with the ground. As it did, the Huntresses and Guardian circled their giant metal opponent, moving quickly to prevent it from gaining a lock.

Unfortunately, the pilot was better than they gave credit, as the mech suit fired its twin cannons right where Blake and Yang would meet in their circle. A large blast blew the two back from the shock wave, but Ruby took the advantage to come flying in, dragging her red scythe across the hardened armor of the cockpit and making the robot step back a few steps. As the girls regrouped together, the mech suit fired another volley of blasts from its cannons where they were bunched up. Instead of scattering, team RWBY watched in amazement as a purple bubble of Light surrounded them, its protective aura catching the explosive rounds and proving them useless. The mech suit continued to hammer on Horst's Ward of Dawn, but judging by the way he stood with his arms crossed, it didn't cost much energy to maintain the barrier. With time to plan and a safe space, Ruby looked at Weiss and Blake next.

"Checkmate!" She said eagerly, and the two nodded in agreement. Another volley of fire impacted on Horst's barrier, and then the two Huntresses in training were moving. They dashed from the protective cover of the Ward of Dawn, closing the distance between themselves and the mech suit as it reloaded. They slashed and struck at every joint and weak spot they could find, with mixed success. The joints and moving parts were too tough to sever with just a few strikes, but they did manage to remove quite a few sensors, Weiss in particular stabbing her rapier into a sensor cluster than nearly shorted half the suit. Their job done, the two backtracked, Weiss aiding Blake as they ran with her white glyphs to make the Faunus move faster. The mech suit followed their retreat with a barrage of missiles, but could not reach them in time before they found refuge in Horst's Ward again. As the missiles streaked towards them, Horst help up his arms to maintain the barrier.

"As soon as these hit, we'll have to move." He said as he prepared. Sixteen rocket guided payloads slammed into his barrier, showering the area with debris and nearly blinding them with the explosions, but Horst's grunt of effort was the only sign of progress on the mech's part as he maintained the barrier. With a lot of smoke hanging in the air and the mech's sensors disabled, Horst dropped the Ward and allowed the five of them to scatter. The smoke concealed their movements, but the concussive blasts had blow much of their mist away. The hunters moved around and out of the way, forcing the mech to scan for them visually.

"Lady bug!" Ruby's cry echoed from the smoke, and together Ruby and Blake renewed the assault on the mech's legs, going back and forth as each strike from their blades rent the metal plating. Just as the mech was about to stomp and send the two flying, they decided to take the initiative and leaped into the air. The ground pound left the mech off balance, and its left arm hanging out from the rest of its body. As Blake and Ruby came down, they focused their blades in the weakened elbow joint, and the arm came away from the mech and clattered to the ground. As its other arm changed back into a hand to grab one of the fleeing Huntresses, a flaming hammer crashed into the cockpit, exploding and sending the mech stumbling back. As it did, Yang leaped onto its back, and started emptying round after round from Ember Celica as she pounded away at whatever looked important. Before the mech could do anything about it, two more of Horst's flaming hammers slammed into it. The two pronged assault forced the pilot to change tactics, and the mech spun its upper body in an attempt to dislodge the blonde brawler from its back. Yang jumped off on her own accord before the mech could throw her, and she landed near Horst. The two shared a nod, and Horst turned to look at Ruby.

"You've got to slow it down!" He cried, and the four students could see his fists shaking as he poured Arc Light into them, the influx of power straining against the gauntlets. "Yang and I will tear it apart if you can immobilize it!" The huntresses liked that plan, and Weiss flicked her blade in preparation. Ruby spun her scythe and sank the blade into the ground, leveling the barrel of the rifle within towards the mech as three ice blue glyphs appeared in front of her. Ruby fired her rifle and racked the bolt quickly, sending immobilizing rounds of ice down range and into their prey. With each impact, large patches of ice spread across the mech and limited its movement.

The pilot struggled to use the remaining arm to break the ice off, but he couldn't do it in time before Yang was on top again. The blonde rained down more blows on the cockpit, letting out an intimidating battle cry as her punches came down fast and hard. Warning alarms could be heard from inside the mech as she continued her assault, causing metal to bend and tear free of its fastenings as she made the plate armor her bitch. In a last ditch effort to crush the brawler, the pilot let the mech fall back. The weight would have put Yang out of commission for sure, but she caught on to the plan and blasted Ember Celica, sending two more shots into the abused chassis and flying away just before the mech hit the ground. The impact shook the area slightly, but more ice rounds from Ruby and Weiss continued to trap the mech, the freezing traps sprouting up all over the ailing robot.

Before the pilot could recover from his error, the crackling sound of electricity filled the area. Using a white glyph as a springboard, Horst leaped into the air high above the downed mech, his fists sparking with power as blue light flew around his arms in a cloud of Arc Light. Once he reached the apex of his jump, the Titan raised his arms up and fell, coming down onto the pinned robot with the certainty and power of a lightning strike. When he landed onto the mech, his feet buckled the armor slightly. When he brought his fists down, the armor disintegrated completely. Arc Light flooded the mech, frying what systems it didn't entirely obliterate, and the strain finally became to much for the battle suit. The cockpit fell away even as the rest of the suit collapsed into a pile of parts, revealing Roman Torchwick with a dazed look on his face.

"Ugh...did someone get the number on that bus?" He muttered weakly, before two strong hands grabbed him by the collar of his expensive jacket and hauled him up out of the wreckage.

"Hey hey hey, watched the clothes!" The criminal mastermind protested as the large Titan hauled him up to eye level, his feet dangling off the ground. Horst stared down the man responsible for organizing the White Fang's recent operation, and he grinned in triumph.

"Mr. Torchwick, you and I are going to have a nice, long chat." The Titan grinned, and to his credit Roman didn't seem impressed. The man currently being held up by his collar rolled his visible eye and scoffed.

"Oh boy, now we're going to go shopping, and paint our nails!" He cried facetiously, earning a glare from Horst. "I bet you even want to talk about cute boys." Without his cane, Roman wasn't much of a threat. But one doesn't make it to the rank of criminal mastermind in Vale, a city filled with super powered Huntsmen and Huntresses, without having a few back up plans.

Something moved in the corner of Horst's eye, and suddenly Roman fell to pieces in his grip. Like shards of glass, the crime lord's body slipped from the Titan's fingers, and all five of the fighters looked at the pile of glass in shock. Still not quite sure what happened, the sound of clapping drew their attention behind them.

Standing next to an unharmed Roman, a strange girl wearing a modified version of Victorian era clothing spun her pink parasol around. Her eyes were pink and chocolate brown, and her hair and clothing alternated between pink, chocolate, and a creamy white. Her boots were cream colored, with buttons securing them as they rose to just below her knee. A pair of chocolate colored riding pants covered her legs, and a tight corset vest covered a shirt that exposed just a few inches of her hips, though how that outfit held together was beyond Horst. A cream colored jacket completed the outfit, and the silent girl offered a mocking bow to the five hunters. Behind her, Roman continued to applaud his ally.

"Well done Neo, I am truly impressed." He said half seriously. Then, his eye settled on Horst. "The kids make a habit of messing up my plans, but you're new to this town, aren't you?" Roman pulled a cigar from his ruffled jacket and placed it unlit between his lips, hanging out to one side of his mouth as he continued to speak.

"We'll be watching you, _Professor._ " He almost spat the word, and Horst's eyes narrowed slightly.

"You say that like we're going to let you leave." He growled. Infuriatingly enough, Roman outright laughed at that.

"You say that like I haven't already!" The crime lord crowed.

Not willing to put up with the annoying man any longer, Horst's sidearm appeared in his hand. Two rounds flew from the barrel, each looking to impact into Roman's kneecaps. Unfortunately, just as before, both Neo and Roman fell apart like a shattered glass pane, leaving behind the dissipating remnants of Neo's illusion. Above them, a Bullhead climbed into the sky and took off, the telltale head of orange hair visible just before the cargo bay closed and the aircraft zipped off into the night. Roman Torchwick had escaped again. Horst watched the Bullhead fly off into the distance, then turned to face the four members of team Ruby.

The girls had tracked down an elusive criminal mastermind and the secret meeting place of a reclusive terrorist group. Not only that, but when things had gone sour and the enemy unleashed a towered metal behemoth to kill them, they had worked together seamlessly to take it down. Horst was confident that even without his help, Roman's toy would have been no match for RWBY.

"Well done, girls. I have to say, I'm proud of everything I saw tonight. You all moved cohesively as a team, and tracking down people that the police and the Huntsmen could not is no small matter." Horst crossed his arms and grinned. "I'm proud of all four of you." The girls took his praise well. Ruby blushed and positively beamed at his words, and even the normally cold Weiss smiled a bit. Yang pumped her fist in victory, but Blake was staring at Horst in suspicion.

"We appreciate the help, Professor, but how did you know what we were doing?" Her nose flared slightly, and she blanched at the influx of sweat and garbage into her nostrils. "And why do you smell like that dumpster we passed earlier tonight?" Horst winced as she said that. He did have quite the aroma going on, but now was not the time to start hunting for a shower.

"Headmaster Ozpin was concerned that the same team known for confronting Roman Torchwick at the docks last semester had all managed to excuse themselves from evening classes." Horst said, eyeing all four Huntresses levelly. "That, and when you plan to take down a criminal organization, it would probably be best to close your window."

Blake frowned at that. She clearly wasn't the trusting type, and despite Ozpin's efforts on her behalf, she still didn't entirely place her faith in the man. And considering his mysterious entry as a teacher at Beacon, Horst was not above her suspicions either.

"So you followed us? When, and for how long?" Blake asked, but Yang wasn't having this hostile conversation. The blonde stepped between teacher and student as the mood turned sour, a reproachful look directed at Blake.

"It doesn't matter. What does matter is that we figured out what they're up to, and we've seen what kind of firepower they have." The blonde reasoned. "Now, we just have to focus on what to do next." Blake eyed Horst with a suspicious look, but in the end she sighed and shook her head.

"I'm sorry, Professor." She apologized. "We've been doing this on our own up until now, it just feels strange to have help. Especially from the people that try to protect us and keep us away from our duty."

Horst shook his head. "Your duty is to learn as much as you can while at Beacon. Leave the criminals and the world saving to us for now." He patted the Faunus on her shoulder. "However, it's also your duty to let us old folks know when we need to get off our lazy bums and start chasing the bad guys. You all performed exceptionally tonight." Blake nodded at his words and smiled slightly. She wouldn't accept just leaving everything to Ozpin and the police, but the fact that Horst acknowledged their lack of action earned him a modicum of trust. From a paranoid ex-White Fang member that up until her enrollment to Beacon had trusted only one other person, that was high praise.

With the threat eliminated, Horst collected a few scrap pieces from the mech suit that was lying scattered all over the ground. Content to use it as evidence, he slid the pieces into his jacket and led the way home. It took them nearly another hour to reach the transport hub back to Beacon, and the five had made small talk and commented on their fight. Horst offered tips on how to improve their technique, but he also told funny stories of his time in the City, disguising the Hunters that got up to no good as Huntsmen. The Bullhead deposited them back at the school, and everyone parted ways and went to the dorms.

When Horst walked into his room, he immediately summoned Switch. The Ghost appeared into the air as Horst walked by, stripping his jacket and undershirt off as he intended to use the shower to its fullest effect. While he did so, Switch followed him, reviewing the footage from the fight in the city.

"So, terrorists and crime lords team up to fight the good guys. Oh, and they have giant robots." The Ghost summarized. Horst offered no reply, instead the sound of running water could be heard from the bathroom. Soon, a comfortable layer of steam leaked out of the bathroom as Horst attempted to remove the stench of combat and dumpster.

"I save some pieces for Ozpin to examine. Judging from the style, we may need to talk to General Ironwood as well. The mech looked Atlesian." Horst somewhat shouted, the shower slightly drowning out his words. Switch noticed the armor pieces sticking out of Horst's jacket pocket and examined them, scanning their elemental properties.

"I thought we agreed we need to stay away from Ironwood." It wasn't a question. Switch knew that the General was a paranoid man, and coming to him after the discovery they had made might lead to more inconvenient discussions. Horst did not reply at first, either lost in thought or enjoying the feeling of a warm shower.

"Then I'll write a report and submit it all to Ozpin." Horst yelled from the bathroom. Content with that answer, Switch flew into the bathroom. Horst was scrubbing himself down to remove the stench he'd earned in the dumpster. His body was built like one would expect for someone that constantly wore heavy armor and did _everything_ in it. Defined and powerful muscles rippled beneath scarred and tough skin. His abdomen was a hardened mass of muscle, but he was more built for power than definition. His pectorals bulged in front of his chest, and massive arms continued the cleaning process. Switch was marginally convinced that if Horst streaked past enough female students, the Titan wouldn't survive the aftermath. The man was built like a brick shithouse.

"I also have a report to send to the Vanguard." Horst said as he continued to scrub diligently, his fervor in hopes that the odor would remove itself from his body. Switch spun his facets, interested in the fact that Horst was showing any initiative to contact Earth when normally the Ghost had been the one to start talks about the struggle back home.

"Are we talking a good report or a bad one?" The water shut off, and Horst exited the shower. He toweled off his face and wiped himself down, the small cloth removing the numerous droplets of water that covered his large body.

"I have the candidates for our first recruits. Compile the fight from the freeway on, and send the footage to the Vanguard. Team RWBY is my first pick." Horst continued toweling off until he was satisfied, then threw the towel into a clothes hamper. The Titan dug around in the drawers before finding a pair of boxers almost a size too small, the words 'Beacon Academy' emblazoned across the back of them, and began making preparations to wash his under suit. The jacket and pants combination had survived repeated wear, only washing two or three days a week. With his job as an instructor, Horst could get by with that, but after spending all day ducking down alleys and hiding in garbage, the clothes were going to need a more thorough wash. And since he had precious little else in his wardrobe...

"I need some new clothes."


	5. Chapter 5

**Chapter 5**

* * *

Two weeks had passed since the fight on the freeway, and team RWBY had been praised for their initiative by Professor Ozpin. He had also cautioned the girls to be discreet about their findings, and that it would likely be a good idea to lay low for a time until the White Fang had licked its wounds, so to speak. He offered a similar warning to Horst, but the Titan was far more prepared to deal with any retaliation than the students under his command. Considering that he could literally die with no consequence, the prospect of revenge from the White Fang was an inconvenience at its worst.

What had earned Horst's focus was his field trips planned for the Emerald Forest, as the month was upon him to see what the first year students were made of. He'd seen them fight in a classroom environment, but that was a poor indicator of how they would perform when surrounded by creatures of Grimm. Considering that his first team to take into the forest was RWBY, Horst made his way to the student dorms to begin briefing the four girls on their mission. The Titan was dressed in his usual casual gear, with the exception of Chimera slung across his back. He would still wear his armor, but walking around a school in full gear was simply exercise, something he had gotten plenty of in recent times. Once he reached the student dorms, he found the hallway with the team's room and quickly made his way to their door. Horst's scroll showed him the way to Ruby and company's room, and when he reached it he knocked four times. From the other side of the door, he heard a tired groan from someone. Another series of knocks was required before he heard feet shuffling slowly across the floor. When the door opened, it was not Ruby that answered, but her sister Yang.

The blonde was dressed in the orange tube top she usually wore underneath her brown jacket, and a very short pair of shorts. Her hair was matted from sleep, but still resembled a cascading shower of flame. Yang yawned and stretched languidly before smacking her lips.

"It's not even seven yet. Someone better be..."She opened her eyes and finally recognized Horst. "dying. Hey Professor. What's with the house call?" Yang recovered, and Horst chuckled at that.

"Apologies for the early wake up call, but I'm here to remind you four that we're heading into the forest today. Have everything packed and ready, and meet me at the cliff by ten thirty." Horst advised. Yang nodded slowly, her eyes squinting in a mixture of sleepiness and suspicion.

"I appreciate the heads up, Professor, but why did you come to our dorm? Our scrolls work fine." Yang tried to keep the irritation out of her voice, but it didn't stop Horst from raising an eyebrow.

"I just wanted to get an impression on what kind of morning person you are. One out of four is not good odds for a group of students sleeping in the forest. Who know what could sneak up on you?" With that rhetorical question and a smile, Horst turned and walked back down the hallway. Yang watched the scarred man as he turned the corner and out of sight, then closed the door with a tired sigh. As she turned back toward the room, Ruby was yawning her way into consciousness.

"Who was that?" Ruby asked sleepily. "Yang scratched her head and threw one more glance at the door, then focused on Ruby.

"It was Professor Horst. For some reason, he came to wake us up in time for the field trip." Yang explained, another wide yawn threatening to break free. Ruby cocked her head in curiosity.

"Why couldn't he send a message with his scroll? It's not like teacher to come straight to our dorms." Ruby said, pretty much echoing Yang's questions from just before

"He said he wanted to see if any of us were light sleepers or something, since we'll be in the forest for a week with Grimm." Yang said, and yawned into another stretch. "I'm going back to bed. Wake me up at nine." With that, Yang flopped back onto the bed, snoring lightly as she returned to the comfortable envelope of sleep. Ruby watched her sister nap and wondered if she should do the same, but decided against it. As team leader, it was her responsibility to make sure that her team was ready for the mission ahead. So, while her team slept on, Ruby got up and began getting ready. The previous night, Weiss had insisted on packing half of their hygiene products up in preparation for today, so Ruby had to dig out her toothbrush and showering supplies. After a hot shower and a morning routine that took barely twenty minutes, Ruby was dressed and had her hygiene kit reassembled and ready. Ruby double checked everyone else's kits to make sure that they weren't missing anything, noting a flea comb of all things in Blake's bag, and then walked back out of the shared bathroom. Yang still hadn't moved, but Blake had shifted around in her bed and was reading a book. When Ruby walked out, yellow eyes peered over the pages at her.

"So, Professor Horst came by?" Blake must have heard what Yang had said earlier, and Ruby nodded in affirmation.

"Yep. For some reason, he wanted to make sure that we were ready, in person. I don't know why he didn't just send a message, but it doesn't matter." Ruby said with a shrug. "I'm headed to the kitchens to pick up our supplies for the week." Blake raised an eyebrow, but didn't prod further. Normally, any approved mission had the supplies issued by Beacon's quartermaster, an ornery old man named Cid. Ruby going to the kitchen was unnecessary, as their gear and food would be available in Cid's office, once they signed it out from the stingy quartermaster.

"Try nor to fill up on cookies." Blake said as she went back to her book. Ruby's cookie addiction was well known, and it was the only real reason Blake could come up with for their leader descending down into the kitchens. The young girl was a favorite among the cooks, and they always had some cookies ready for the reaper. Ruby spent time down there to visit with the cooks and to avoid some of the more social hours of the day, when the other members of RWBY and JNPR were in other classes.

"No promises!" Ruby replied with a cheesy grin, then walked out the door. Blake returned to her book, and the other two members of RWBY continued to snore. Ruby made her way down to the kitchens, located beneath the mess hall. A small staircase and two swinging double doors were all that separated the two rooms, but once Ruby entered the kitchens the temperature change was immediate. Because the ovens were constantly running during the kitchen's operating times, there was a temperature difference of several degrees between the kitchen and the rest of the school. The kitchen staff all wore white jackets and aprons, hustling about to prepare breakfast for the students of Beacon. Each cook had been specially selected, though many were accomplished cooks and chefs from Vale. There were no fewer than twelve cooks in the kitchen at peak operation, and there were three head chefs for each meal. As she entered, a somewhat wide man with thick black hair had his back turned. His forearms were bared, having rolled his sleeves up earlier that morning, and when he turned around to see who had come in, his kind, plump face and deep blue eyes lit up upon recognizing Ruby.

"Ruby!" He cried, his thick mustache bouncing as his rich Italian accent carrying through the kitchen while his companions worked on their various dishes. Ruby grinned and waved sheepishly, even as the man rushed forward and wrapped the young girl up in a strong embrace. "We haven't seen-a you in some time. Are you here to pick up your order?" Ruby winced within his grasp; the former Huntsman was a strong man, even if he was only slightly taller than Ruby.

"Yes, Mario. I came down to visit." Ruby barely squeezed the words out, and the chef set her down with a laugh. Now that her breathing was no longer hampered, Ruby breathed a sigh of relief and grinned at the man.

"You know we love seeing you, girl, but you don't need food to come down here." Mario chided gently, then raised a hand to his mouth. "Eh, Luigi! Do we have-a miss Rose's order back there?"

Mario called into the storage area, supplied with several refrigerators and steel racks to keep any orders or materials cool and dry. Mario was head chef, but his brother Luigi usually handled any orders for field rations. Mario didn't have the patience to deal with preserved food and dried meats, whereas Luigi had no problems dealing with making food less perishable. A clatter came from within the store rooms, and another man emerged from the door. He was much taller than Mario, but he was lean and fit as opposed to Mario's stout form. He also had black, combed hair and a thick mustache. They had been on a team together as Huntsmen before they had come to Beacon, and Luigi had been the more agile of the two. When he walked out, Luigi's mouth was contorted into a frown as his eyebrows furrowed.

"Sorry, Mario. Professor Horst stopped by and picked them up already. He said he was planning something." Luigi directed an apologetic shrug toward Ruby. "Sorry, little rose, but we don't have anything left over from the order." Mario frowned as well, rubbing his mustache in thought.

"Mama mia, there's no communication around here. What is this school coming to?" He muttered to himself. Ruby looked up at the retired Huntsman, and she deployed the puppy dog eyes to great effect. Mario's defenses were down within seconds.

"Don't-a worry, my little red rose. I've got something special for you right here." Mario walked into the storage area as Luigi went to help some of the other cooks in their preparation. Ruby waited patiently as he bustled around on the other side of the door, the sounds of falling coins, shuffling boxes, and what sounded like an ape bringing some concern to her. Seriously, what all did they have back there? After a few more seconds, Mario returned from storage, with a food box in his hands. The Huntsmen and Huntresses in Vale had long ago developed ways to keep food fresh in the field. When the box was sealed, it maintained a nearly sub zero temperature to prevent spoilage. Once the box was unlocked, however, the contents were reheated to a steaming warmth. The box could only be opened once, and any food not eaten once it was defrosted would need to be discarded. But the small white box with rubberized edges and a metal frame would hold enough to feed a team of four girls. Mario handed the box to Ruby with a smile, and the young Huntress in training looked down at it in wonder.

"That's my special stromboli, with the thick bread and the portobello mushrooms. I remember your sister liked it a lot, so there should be enough for all of you." Mario said proudly, planting his fists on his hips as he beamed. Luigi, however, returned to the two and shook his finger at his older brother.

"Mario, you know Ms. Goodwitch will be upset about handing out extra food." Luigi warned. Mario scowled at Luigi's words and crossed his arms.

"She will not. Another chocolate pie like I made the other day, and she'll turn a blind eye." Mario winked at Ruby. "You'd better get going, little rose. Your teammates will be waiting for you."

"I will. Thank you so much, Mario!" With that, Ruby waved and left the kitchen, allowing the cooks to get back to work. Mario's stromboli – various sandwich meats and bread wrapped up with sauce and spices, with quite a bit of cheese – was to kill for, especially if you asked Yang. The little wraps had caused some havoc when Nora and Yang had attempted to grab the last one at the same time. The resulting battle had been impressive, to the point where Ozpin had let out a low whistle before assigning them a day's worth of detention for throwing a table out the window. With some extra food and the knowledge that Horst had already been messing around with their supplies, Ruby's next stop was the quartermaster, Cid. The grumpy old man had his own small shop near the entrance to the school, just past the courtyard that greeting most visitors. Inside of Cid's shop, there were rows and racks of Dust crystals, rounds, and other sources of ammunition, as well as nearly every outdoor accessory one could think of. Hammocks, fire pits, water purifiers; Cid had everything. The irritable old man loved to tinker and his more essential tools, such as bed rolls and food storage devices, were collapsible and compact much like the weapons he serviced.

With her food in hand, Ruby made her way to Cid's shop, walking straight in since the grouch had removed the door years earlier. The entrance to Cid's workshop was stocked with backpacks and rucksacks, so that teams could just message the quartermaster with their requisitions, and he would have everything prepared so that each team could just pick up their gear and leave. Despite his immense skill and varied stocks, Cid often preferred not to speak to students. His irritable demeanor and short temper did little to build any sort of rapport with the Beacon kids, and he seemed to prefer it that way. Ruby had yet to worm her way into his shell, but the old coot did seem to dislike her less than the rest of the student body. At the very least, he didn't ignore her completely. When she walked into the shop, Ruby could hear muttered curses and clanking metal coming from the rear of the shop, where Cid kept his forge and molds to shape new weapons, or parts for existing weapons. As she walked into the back of the shop, a very small old man was stooped over the forge, the orange light from its mouth bathing him in a fiery glow. Cid was as tall as Ruby, but he was constantly stooped from years of tending to a forge. The old man was bald, and his thin arms were tanned and leathery, with muscle underneath. His forehead was wrinkled from frown all his life, and his eyes were squints underneath white eyebrows.

"Those thrice blasted bellows have got to have a hole in them! There's no way it should take this long to get this hot! Dag nabbit!" Cid uttered a few more choice curses, then ran around to the other side of the forge. He picked up the contraption meant to blow air into the furnace, a pair of paddles with a bag stretched between them. Cid checked over the tough material of the bellows, then pointed towards mouth of the forge.

"Don't just stand there, girl! Rotate the blade, or I'll have to let it sit for hours!" Ruby started in surprise, not realizing that Cid had seen her come in.

"Right away, Cid!" Ruby set her stromboli down and rushed over to the forge, grasping the tongs and turning what looked like a slab of metal intent to be a sword. With practiced effort from her time at Signal, Ruby slowly turned the blade within the forge, exposing it to even amounts of heat. The fires warmed her face, and they flared slightly as Cid worked the bellows again. To many, the flames of the forge would be hot and uncomfortable, but a gun nut like Ruby basked in the flames of creation. She loved things like this.

"Ah ha! Found it." She heard Cid cry triumphantly. The sound of stretching tape came from behind the forge, and soon Cid was back. Ruby handed the tongs back to the old man, who took them with an appreciative grunt. The old man fired the blade a few more times, then drew it from the furnace and onto his anvil. With practiced ease, Cid folded the superheated metal into the rough edge of a blade, sparks shooting from the hammer and the blade as he brought it down. Ruby watched him return the blade to the furnace, then Cid wiped his brow and turned to her.

"Well, girl. What are you here for? I didn't ask you to come help me." Cid demanded gruffly. Ruby rubbed the back of her head sheepishly.

"I came to get our supplies for the field trip today, Mr. Cid. After Professor Horst ran off with our food, I wanted to check and make sure that our other things were taken care of too." Cid snorted and crossed his arms.

"Ah yes, the new combat instructor. As a matter of fact, the big brute came by and gathered your things not fifteen minutes ago. Said it was a part of the exercise he was conducting." Cid blew air out of his nose. "Thinks just because he has that fancy sword, he knows about smith work. Feh." The old quartermaster clearly had his reservations about Professor Horst, but he had answered Ruby's question. For some reason, Horst was gathering the supplies that team RWBY was required to bring into the forest. And it was a part of the exercise? That didn't bode well.

"I wonder why he's been getting all of our stuff together. It's the team's responsibility to make sure they have all their things." Ruby said, rubbing her chin in thought. Cid waved off the situation.

"Whatever he's planning, it's not my problem. I've got an order to fill." Cid turned back to the forge, this time pulling some goggles from his apron and strapping them to his head. With his repaired bellows, Cid brought the flames to the intensity of dragon fire, and Ruby took that as a dismissal. As the old quartermaster returned to his sword, Ruby slowly backed out of the shop and headed back to the student dorms. Professor Horst had gathered everything except for their weapons. Thinking over what could possibly be the Titan's plan, Ruby walked in the door to their room to find that Weiss and Yang up and dressed. The sound of a shower from the bathroom indicated Blake's current activity, and Yang turned around when Ruby walked in.

"Hey Rubes. Where's all of our stuff?" The blonde asked, her eyes falling on the white box Ruby was carrying. Before she could answer, the box suddenly disappeared from Ruby's hands, Yang already trying to open it. Ruby dashed over in a trail of roses and tried to retrieve the box of stromboli, wrapping around Yang's back as the brawler continued to struggle with the storage box.

"Wait wait, sis! Professor Horst has been grabbing all of our stuff and we may need that later!" Ruby plead, and Yang finally relented. She released the box into Ruby's eager arms, and said reaper stashed the box under Weiss' bed for safe keeping. Weiss looked up when Ruby mentioned the supplies, concern crossing her face

"What do you mean, he grabbed all of our stuff?" She asked, and Yang raised an eyebrow as well. Ruby summarized her travels that morning, noting that both the kitchen staff and Cid had already given Professor Horst team RWBY's supplies for the week. When she finished, Blake exited the bathroom, tying her bow onto her head to conceal her cat ears.

"So, he mentioned that it was a part of the lesson, and he's taken all of our stuff? That sounds like the next week is going to be uncomfortable." The Faunus said. Ruby nodded in agreement, and pointed to her backpack.

"I say we dig up some extra supplies and food, even if it's another bag of chips. I don't think we'll be getting all of our things." She said uneasily, and Weiss groaned in a very unladylike manner.

"It's bad enough we're going to be spending time in the woods, but now he's going to mess with our supplies?" She cried indignantly. Blake and Yang didn't seem as perturbed about the idea, but their gear would mean a world of difference after their first day. A good night's rest was the difference between an easy fight and a distracted one. Blake wasn't as worried, as her time in the White Fang had taught her to live off the land due to their limited resources while she was a member. Yang was used to going without, because after Summer – Ruby's mother – had died, it had been up to Yang and their father to raise her. In those times, Yang had often taken the smaller portions in favor of keeping her little sister happy and healthy.

"You're right. We should prepare for everything." Blake set her book down and together, the four girls looked around their room for anything that might help them in the field. All of their spare rounds and Dust cartridges were collected, and several outfits were scrounged as well. Yang's guilty cache of chips and pretzels was scavenged as well, though the blonde denied any of it belonging to her in the first place. In the time it took them to put together a modicum of resources, nine thirty came quickly. All four shouldered bags of some kind, with Ruby and Yang carrying backpacks while Weiss and Blake opted for single strap satchels. The food, ammo, and spare blankets they had scrounged paled in comparison to proper gear, but if Ruby's hunch was right they would appreciate bringing the extra stuff.

Together, the four left their dorm and locked the door. They had knocked on JNPR's door across the hall, but it sounded like their fellow first year team had already left for class. Their fellow team had been in high spirits recently, what with Pyrra and Jaune finally open about their feelings for each other. The two hadn't been declared a couple yet, but there were less certain things in the world besides an Arc and Nikos relationship. Nora and Ren were still separate in those terms, but the JNPR dorm was likely on its way to a major change in sleeping arrangements, no matter how much Goodwitch banned amorous bedtime habits. From the outside looking in, Ruby and the gang thought it was both funny and adorable. Since their friends were already in class, team RWBY made their way to the cliffs, where just a few months prior they had been sent flying through the air and into the Emerald Forest individually. They had descended on their own, and come back as a team. When the four girls reached the launching pads Ozpin had used to fling students like bottle rockets, they found Professor Horst already out at the cliff in full armor, with a curious absence of food and traveling gear. The large Titan stood with his hands clasped behind his back, facing the forest as if he were contemplating something. When the four got close enough, he turned to face them.

"Good morning girls. I hope you're ready for our field trip." Professor Horst said easily. His gaze lingered on the bags they had brought, and he nodded in slight approval. "Good. I see that you were paying attention when I had told you to come prepared. As your leader found out, we'll be operating a little differently from a normal mission today." Ruby's eyes widened as he said that. Her hunch had been correct, but it also meant that their week was going to be incredibly uncomfortable.

"Professor," Weiss spoke up. "What _did_ you do with all those supplies? I mean, I hope you didn't just destroy them." Horst shook his head.

"No, Ms. Schnee. That would be a terrible waste of resources, and in our line of work, destroying something just to prove a point is bad for business." Horst swept his hand out over the forest. "During your initiation, you had to recover relics from some old ruins, and as I recall you participated in a fight that nearly leveled the cliffside temple. The stone monoliths of a forgotten time are not the only things we will find in the forest. This leads me to this week's mission: we are going to clear a Deathstalker nest in the center of the forest, using nothing more than the supplies we find within the forest, and what we have already brought." Horst said decisively. The four girls looked at each other with a mixture of trepidation and anticipation, the prospect of fighting more than one Deathstalker at once a daunting task. The giant scorpions were very territorial, and they used their stingers and claws in tandem for great effect. An elder Deathstalker could fight off a team of seasoned Huntsmen for several minutes, provided it kept its stinger.

"The clincher to this exercise is the fact that I've hidden our supplies all over the forest. In order to stay alive and well fed, you're going to have to locate several caches. And I was very particular about where I put them." Horst warned. "This is to instill a determination to the live off the land as well as reinforce the importance of scarce resources."

Ruby and the others walked to the edge of the cliff to stand beside Horst, and together all five looked out over the immense forest for a moment. The fact that they were going to spend five days together with nothing but Grimm and gunfire excited Ruby. She enjoyed the classroom stuff sure, but the main reason she had always looked forward to Beacon was so that she could become a monster slaying queen of destruction. Blake and Weiss were a bit more reserved, but she could see the eager way that they shifted their weight forward, their hands at the ready to draw their weapons in an instant. Yang was wearing a wide grin, clearly ready to smash whatever got in their way.

"Well, what are we waiting for?" Ruby asked impatiently. Horst looked at her for a moment, his helmet obscuring whatever expression he may have worn. When he spoke, she noticed a faint hint of amusement in his voice.

"The timer." Almost as soon as he said it, a larger platform meant to throw everything off the cliff erupted from the ground beneath them. The thick silver plate flung all five out into the empty air, and together they hurtled straight down into the forest.

* * *

Jaune really enjoyed sleeping in. Because combat training was canceled, they had been moved to Dr. Oobleck's second class of the day, granting teams JNPR and CRDL another hour of rest while RWBY went off to train with Professor Horst for a week. The blonde team leader laid in bed, sprawled out comfortably with the sheets half covering him, kicked off as he had rolled or adjusted during his slumber. On his right side, Pyrra slept peacefully, not moving near as much as the restless blonde. A few days prior, they had discovered just how comfortable it was to snuggle before bed, though they both agreed that sleep was the only thing they would be doing in bed together. As such, both were clad in t-shirts emblazoned with Beacon's crest and pairs of shorts. Pyrra liked Jaune just as he was, but she didn't tolerate the silly bunny outfit he had worn for pajamas their first semester. Jaune had shed the outfit immediately; putting down something one of his sisters had made for him was more than worth sleeping with Pyrra by his side.

When the two were out in public, they kept their shows of affection to holding hands and the occasional peck on the cheek from Pyrra. It was only the proper way to act, and neither really minded. However, once they were safe in their dorm, the two were much more open about their feelings toward each other. That, and it seemed that training Jaune for nearly two semesters and dropping hints like bombs in an air raid had left Pyrra a little pent up. It had become common for Ren or Nora to walk in only to find Pyrra had tackled Jaune into a lip lock. Usually, Pyrra was the one to initiate their intimate moments, though Jaune was no slouch either. If he woke up before the champion, Jaune always made sure to have some tea ready for her. It was a fifty-fifty chance which one woke up first, but Pyrra was more than appreciative of the little things Jaune paid attention to.

Another change brought about by their relationship was a sudden absence of Cardin. Wisely enough, the large boy had gathered that messing with the boyfriend of the girl that had crushed his entire team was a bad idea, and Pyrra had no problems defending her territory. Nora's threat to break the boy's legs earlier last semester had more merit now than ever, and Cardin had been smart enough to leave JNPR be. Jaune had also picked up in his classes, the most beautiful girl in Beacon on his arm giving him the confidence boost necessary to really succeed. It was this improvement that largely led to Goodwitch and Ozpin turning a blind eye to a relationship between teammates.

Jaune's scroll vibrated on the desk next to his bed, on the other side of the still sleeping Pyrra. The blonde boy winced at the sudden noise and quickly reached over his slumbering partner. He slapped the table a few times before he finally located the rebellious device, its display showing that the time was 9:45. With their first class at 10:30, that meant it was time to start getting up. Jaune groaned sleepily and hit the snooze button on the alarm, then dropped the scroll back onto the table. Instead of retracting his arm, he simply draped it over Pyrra's shoulder and moved closer to her, pressing his forehead to hers as she continued to sleep. The redhead's soft breaths warmed his face, and he had time to just look at his girlfriend. When she was awake, she either exuded a calm air of controlled will as she fought or learned from the professors, or the air rang with her wonderful laugh as he made a joke or bumped into something. Either way, Pyrra was always on guard wherever they went, a side effect of winning four tournaments in a row at Mistral. When she slept however, her features softened into an angelic tranquility that Jaune could just sit there and admire for hours.

Staring creepily at his girlfriend while she slept was not the only thing he had to do today, however. Jaune slowly back into the wall in an effort avoid waking Pyrra, then slid off the bottom edge of the bed and headed into the bathroom. Nora and Ren had already left the room, likely to go terrorize some poor stack of pancakes. Jaune grabbed his clothes for the day and started his morning routine. While he showered, Pyrra slowly stirred. Her source of comfortable warmth absent, the champion slid one eye open to see where Jaune had gone. Once she heard the shower, she rolled over to face the door to the shower and waited. She usually got ready before nine, but the lazy day caused by RWBY's field trip had gotten to her. Despite how much she loved Beacon and its classes, spending a little more time with Jaune was more preferable.

Steam rolled underneath the door as the falling water continued, and Pyrra sat up groggily. She stretched her arms into the air and yawned loudly, scratching her head as she looked around for Nora and Ren. The two lifelong friends were absent, though a neatly folded note had been placed on Pyrra's empty bed. In the bathroom, the water shut off as Pyrra walked over and picked up the note. It was written in Ren's flowing script, and said that he and Nora had gotten up to get pancakes and start working on a tandem technique with his martial arts and Nora's hammer. Ren also wrote that they would meet up in Oobleck's class, and not to wait up for them. Pyrra smiled at the thought of some poor Grimm getting clobbered by a focused strike from Ren as well as Magnhild in full swing. The results likely wouldn't be pretty.

While she continued on that line of thought, the bathroom door opened and allowed a small amount of steam to clear the bathroom as Jaune walked out. He was wearing his jeans and shoes, and was currently fumbling with the belt for Crocea Mors with his shirt slung over one shoulder. Pyrra turned to grab her clothes for the day, and froze when she saw Jaune shirtless. While the blonde didn't quite have the defined abs that Sun liked to show off, he had definitely put on some muscle since the last semester. His muscles weren't overly big like a body builder, but he definitely had enough power to block a strike from an Ursa Major. Much of the baby fat and signs of easy living had dropped off of him since they had started training at night, and the fact that the muscled body he was flaunting was in no small part due to her training and attention thrilled Pyrra. His tight stomach and defined biceps were the fruits of their efforts, and Pyrra didn't mind the sight one bit.

"Looking good, Jaune." She purred, and the blonde snapped his head up from the bothersome sheath to see Pyrra eyeing him up and down like a puma would a piece of meat. The somewhat hungry look in her eye spoke to him, and he swelled with a sense of pride as his girlfriend checked him out. The knight offered a cheesy pose by flexing his arms, and Pyrra giggled as she stood and gathered clothes.

"Glad you think so, Pyrra. We both worked on these awesome muscles." He said, flexing his arms a little bit more. With her wardrobe gathered, Pyrra walked past him and into the bathroom, but not before giving him a swat on the rear as she did. Red bloomed across Jaune's face at her brazen act, and the door closed behind him.

"I don't know why I don't see them more often." She called from beyond the door. "I may have an issue with that."

While she got ready, Jaune dug around for his hoodie and his armor as her words tickled his ego. He and Pyrra had worked hard to improve his fighting skills, and his body had changed to go along with her efforts. The fact that she thought he looked good shirtless was just one more way that Pyrra had raised his spirits this semester. In their previous term, he had been shy around her when it came to moving between the bathroom and the bedroom. Now, clearly things were more relaxed. And the fact that a girl as wonderful as Pyrra Nikos thought he looked good was a major boost to his self esteem. Seriously, all the great warriors at Beacon, and she had chosen him. How awesome was that?

The clock struck ten by the time they were both dressed and ready, and the two gathered their weapons and made their way to Dr. Oobleck's class. Normally they would be required to wear the school uniform during academic classes, but their battle gear was required for Professor Port's class after lunch. Thus, the energetic history teacher was likely to be understanding when they reached his classroom. As it had said in the note, Nora and Ren met the two shield bearers of JNPR just outside of Dr. Oobleck's lecture hall, and together the team sat down in their usual spots. The first year teams from the other schools were present, as was team CRDL, but the lack of RWBY really drove the point home that the four girls were out for a whole week. Even though he knew that JNPR was up for the next week, he couldn't suppress the slight flare of envy. RWBY was out in Emerald Forest battling Grimm with everyone's favorite new teacher, and here was his team listening to a paraphrased version of Roger Leonberger's speech at the beginning of the White Fang movement from a man that mostly injected caffeine intravenously.

Dr. Oobleck's lecture lasted its required hour and a half before the jittery professor assigned a three page paper and zipped out of the classroom, mostly likely to go chug a fresh pot of coffee. The students followed with much less vigor, but Jaune and Pyrra's rumbling stomachs had them marching to the mess hall a little faster than the others. Ren and Nora kept up, but the pancakes that had met their end that morning stopped the two from starving to death. Mario's crew down in the kitchen had prepared a feast as usual, though today seemed to have pasta as a constant. Lasagna, calzones, and miles upon miles of different noodles for spaghetti had been made available for Beacon's students, as well as the visitors from the other Kingdoms. Pyrra had largely avoided the noodles, but she settled for a couple stromboli rolls and some fruit. Nora and Jaune piled on as much spaghetti as they could want, and Ren calmly sliced into a small calzone.

"I can't wait for next week." Jaune mumbled around a mouthful of noodles. "This training is going to be the best!" Nora had somehow slurped the entirety of her spaghetti up, sauce and all, like it had been one long strand of pasta. The hammer user leaned back contentedly, patting her stomach at the meal.

"I wonder what our special assignment will be. Professor Horst said it would be different for each team." Pyrra mused aloud, before placing a slice of her stromboli in her mouth.

"I wonder was team RWBY is doing right now. I saw Ruby going down into the kitchen earlier, and then she went and saw Cid when we were coming back from training." Ren said as he patted Nora on the back. Nora grinned at the attention.

"I'm sure we'll hear from the after training." Pyrra wasn't worried. "We can't talk to them with our scrolls because Professor Horst won't let them spoil the surprise. So they will probably have plenty to talk about on Friday." The four finished their meal and dropped off their plates before heading towards the door. Just before they walked out, however, a hand covered in a white glove grabbed Jaune gently by the shoulder. The blonde turned around to see who it was, and nearly stroked out right in front of everyone in the mess hall. General Ironwood smiled at the team.

"I understand that you four will be studying under Professor Horst next week." The man said as he placed his hands behind his back. Jaune and Pyrra shared a look.

"That's right, General." Pyrra said confidently. "Right now, he and team RWBY are out in the Emerald Forest." Ironwood nodded at that, and then scratched his chin in thought.

"I've rarely spoken with Professor Horst, but many students around Beacon seem to like him a lot. My own students don't have much of an opinion on him, but Ms. Rose could speak about him for days." Yeah, that sounded like Ruby. "In any case, I was wondering if you four would answer some questions for me?"

* * *

It had taken six hours before Ruby's stomach growling sent Yang into a frenzy. The blonde had torn through a cave of Ursai and brought back some of the supplies that Horst had hidden inside, mostly to give her little sister food, but also to preserve their single box of stromboli. Their search for supplies had been met with success, though Blake still insisted that they forage for edibles even with a small reserve of food. Horst supported her decision, which led to the team scrounging for berries near one of their main objectives. Once the food situation was handled, Horst ordered them to scout out a place to make camp for the night. He cautioned that the camp would be one of three that they would set up, and that the location was important.

They had made camp near the old ruins that had held the relics from their initiation, taking shelter within an old cave that used to house an Ursa Major. With its former tenant decapitated and disintegrating, a warm fire made the once foreboding rock hollow nice and cozy. Horst had been impressed with how easily the four had removed such a stout opponent in close quarters, and he had offered to take first watch as a reward. That, and he needed some time to talk to Switch. While the four girls slept, Horst sat at the mouth of the cave with Chimera across his lap. Instead of polishing or sharpening the blade, he simply kept it at the ready, in case any pesky Grimm made the mistake of trying to enter the cave. The prospect was unlikely, considering that until tonight a large Ursa Major had taken up residence there. Grimm would unite in pursuit of humans, but outside of that the creatures would tear into each other with just as much ferocity.

Horst had removed his helmet, letting the cool night air wash over his face as he kept watch. The war back home troubled his thoughts, and the lack of communication was unsettling. Since the Vanguard had not responded or found a way to facilitate transportation, Horst had to assume that something had gone wrong. Either that, or there was something else going on. When he had participated in the raid on the Hellmouth that had felled Crota, Horst had been warned by the Tower's resident Hive expert Eris Morn. The woman had intoned that Crota's death would not go unpunished, and that there was a greater evil creeping out in the darkness of space. The Vanguard had taken her cryptic warnings with a grain of salt, but Horst wondered if the silence meant that there was something going on back in the Sol system. As he sat in thought, a cascade of white cubes heralded Switch's manifestation. The black Ghost turned and looked at the four sleeping Huntresses in training, then turned to face the night outside.

"Anything from Earth?" Horst asked. He and Switch had discussed the possibility of returning, but without a Vex Time Gate or something similar, they were looking at a wasted trip. The Ghost shook himself side to side in a negative.

"Still only fragmented strings of data. I've been putting them together and the message is getting clearer, but the only thing I can figure out is that Cayde sent a wide band message to ALL Guardians." Switch's facets rotated slowly. "The last time this happened, we were assaulting the Black Garden itself."

When a lone Guardian had discovered a way into the Black Garden, the Speaker himself had requested that all available Guardians assail the Vex fortress. The mysterious Garden was somehow moved from planet to planet, a point in motion across dimensions and space. Once a portal on Mars made the Black Garden permanent, Guardians from all over had poured into the Gate. With several hundred Guardians flushing into their most sacred holdings, the Vex had put up a beast of a fight. Large Minotaurs, towering Axis Minds, and even a trio of huge beasts known as the Sol Progeny did their best to fight off the Guardian threat. But with so much Light brought by so many Guardians, no defender of the City stayed dead. For every Guardian vaporized, crushed, or riddled with rounds, their Ghost would revive them in seconds. The warriors of Light destroyed all Vex in their path, and then eradicated the Garden's black heart from existence. It had been a great upheaval, and the first great victory in the war against the Darkness since the day the Traveler had died. Now, with another massed message on the air, Horst couldn't help but worry.

"Keep piecing it together. I don't know what we can do, but I don't like not knowing what's going on back home. Depending on how things play out, we may need to explore a return option." Horst turned and looked at the sleeping students behind him. " Do you think they're going to be ready?"

Switch turned and looked at the young girls as well. Horst was beginning to grow attached to the first year teams, and Switch couldn't blame him. Considering the depressing war of attrition they had left behind on Earth, the youthful kids had brought a bright reprieve to the fight against the Darkness. They were exceptional fighters, and in many cases they were individually on the same level as newborn Guardians. When they fought as a team, the Beacon students could easily destroy much more difficult opponents. Horst had fought and died to so many creatures of Darkness, but his confidence in the Huntsmen and Huntresses of Remnant was well founded. In their isolation, they had discovered and implemented so many different forms of Light manipulation that it had stunned Horst. And their weapons! Crescent Rose itself had impressed Horst, and he knew a certain Exo that would love to tear the scythe apart and put it back together again. Given Ruby's almost parental love for the weapon, he doubted that would go over smoothly.

"I think they have a few more things to learn, but they would be more than a match against the Devils or the Kings." Switch said, referencing two Fallen Houses vying for dominion on Earth. "The Hive or the Vex may be beyond them at this point. I don't see the Schnee or Ruby taking walking corpses very well." Horst scoffed at that.

"To them, it's just another monster. They aren't scared; they're thrilled. You saw the fight with that Ursa Major. They love fighting the monsters in the dark. What worries me is the White Fang and their little freedom war." Horst swung Chimera to his back in one fluid motion and rested his ankle on the opposite knee. "A misguided bunch of Faunus could throw a wrench in any plan to get Remnant on the galactic map. And the worst part is, they have a point. Whether or not they go about it the wrong way is academic, because it would be so much easier to discredit them if they didn't present a valid reason for fighting."

"Presenting a valid argument and executing people are two different things. Besides, we've seen how willing they are to stick to their guns now that they are working for a guy like Torchwick." Switch chided. "However, I won't deny that their message is tempting to a lot of mistreated Faunus."

"Yeah. If people didn't treat Faunus like dirt, it would make their pool of recruits almost exclusively bad guys vying for superiority instead of equality. But I still don't see a way to-"

"Professor, who is that?" A voice caused both Guardian and Ghost to jump with a start, and Ruby walked up to the two while rubbing her eyes sleepily. Switch looked back at the girl hesitantly, then locked up and focused on Horst.

"Thank you Titan Horst. I'll let you get back to your... oh who am I kidding." The Ghost tried to pass off as some fancy communicator, but one look at Ruby's innocent expression and he squashed any hope of lying. Horst turned and face the leader of RWBY and winced sheepishly. He had always planned to introduce team RWBY to Switch, but that would have been closer to the whole 'Welcome to the Guardians!' thing instead of during their first year at Beacon. But now, one of his prospects had discovered a portion of his secret.

"Ruby. What are you doing up?" Horst asked, but he knew his evasiveness would catch her attention. The girl waved her scroll, which had an alarm for two in the morning.

"You said that I would take watch at two, right?" Her eyes creased a little in confusion as she stared at the black Ghost floating in front of her. "Who are you?"

"Ruby, this is Switch. He's my partner." Horst said, and Switch nodded and blinked, his facets spinning in opposite directions as they processed this new development.

"Is he some kind of scroll or something? I've never seen anything like him?" She asked innocently, taking a seat on a rock near the cave's mouth across from the duo.

"No, Ruby. I'm quite sentient, thank you very much." Switch said with facetious hurt, his indignant tone downplayed by Horst rolling his eyes. Ruby grinned and held out a hand, palm up. Switch flew over to it and hover, much like how Horst summoned him in the field.

"Nice to meet you Switch." She said quietly, not wanting to wake up the rest of the team. Ruby was young and naive at times, but she knew that Horst had definitely been trying to keep Switch a secret until now. If her professor didn't want word of his friend getting out, she wasn't willing to spill the beans. She was curious about the little Ghost, however.

"Switch is a Ghost, Ruby." Horst said as the Light construct flew around Ruby, almost making her fall off her perch as he flew faster and faster. "Without him, my Light and weapons wouldn't function as well. He keeps my ammunition and can create things for me, as long as I have Dust available." They had been able to convert Dust to Glimmer, but the propellant had proven volatile at best. Using it to create rounds for his sidearm had not been difficult. Ruby stared at Switch in wonder as he stopped, his facets rotating and spinning as he looked back at her.

"Whoa! That's so cool! I wish I had a Ghost. What else can he do?" She asked, and Horst chuckled at that.

"I can't tell you everything yet, Ruby. My position at Beacon right now is dependent on how quiet I keep my secret. But I suppose I could tell you a few things." Horst gave her an intent look. "However, you know how secrets work, right? You have to keep them." Ruby nodded enthusiastically. Considering their actions last semester, as well as their plan to smoke out Torchwick and the White Fang the previous month, she knew the value of discretion.

"You don't have to worry, Professor. I can't keep anything from my team, but we've been good at keeping things quiet. Except for, you know, open windows and all that." Ruby rubbed her head sheepishly. Horst grinned at that, sharp teeth glinting in the shattered moon's light as he chuckled.

"Fortunately, Headmaster Ozpin was the first person I went to about this. Many of your instructors know, but if my situation were made public, I don't think everyone would be receptive." Horst turned and looked at his Ghost. "Bring the Symphony down where she can see. Mid atmosphere, if you would."

Ruby watched as Switch's eye moved around slightly, as if he were thinking. A quite beeping and trilling could be heard as he communed with something, and then both Ghost and Guardian looked up at the shattered moon. The night was cloudless, and the bright moon hovered in the sky in all its broken glory. Ruby looked up as well, as she had many nights since her youth. The large celestial body burned white in the night, but as she watched, a small black dot danced across its alabaster face. She looked over at Horst in wonder, and he motioned towards her back where Crescent Rose was resting.

"You have a sniper rifle don't you? Why don't you examine that thing up there?" He asked good naturedly. Ruby pulled her beloved weapon out and extended the stock and scope, bringing it to her eye with practiced movement. Staring straight at the moon took her a moment to adjust to, but soon she found the black speck. And it was no speck.

The color was muted with something so bright behind it, but she could clearly distinguish the wings and engines on the Iron Symphony. It's cannons stuck out as the craft rolled lazily through the sky, before climbing back up into the sky and back into orbit.

"Wow! Was that a spaceship?!" Ruby asked excitedly, and Horst brought up a finger to his lips for her to quiet down. She blushed slightly, but grinned widely when Horst nodded.

"The only one on Remnant, or so I've found. Did you really think we were alone in the universe? Or rather, did you think that _you_ were alone in the universe?" Horst smiled as she looked between himself and Switch in wonder. It was one of the reasons he liked team RWBY so much. As they had demonstrated upon discovering Blake's Faunus heritage, they weren't very judgmental. In a world full of self-important louts that liked to look down on others for every reason, real or imaginary, acceptance was a rare thing indeed. Ruby Rose and her friends were clearly the best that Beacon had to offer, and Horst had no problem with his selection. They would make excellent Guardians, and they were already wonderful people.

"No way! You're from space?" Ruby asked in a hushed undertone. She slipped Crescent Rose back to its place on her lower back and stared at the two in front of her. Ruby had asked Dr. Oobleck about life on other worlds, and the energetic teacher had gone on a long winded speech about how mathematically speaking, it was impossible for there not to be. But for that life to be able to come to Remnant, and be human no less? It absolutely blew her mind.

"We're from space." Horst said. "I'm afraid I don't have time to tell the whole story tonight, but I can do something for you." The Titan looked around for a moment, scanning for Grimm. When none met his gaze, he turned back to Ruby and picked up his helmet and put in on, sealing it with a snap and a hiss.

"Keep watch for a second, would you?" He asked, and Ruby nodded enthusiastically. Horst and Switch shared a nod, and to Ruby's utter amazement, both of them disappeared in a nearly silent cascade of light. They didn't turn invisible, they didn't block her view; the boot prints in the dirt indicated that the two were no longer there. The red reaper looked around excitedly for any Grimm that might have approached as minutes passed, but her curiosity was a full blown need to know as she waited for Horst to return. Sure enough, another pair of shimmers appeared in the air, warping the blue-black sky behind them momentarily before Horst and Switch reappeared. Horst landed softly and removed his helmet, before setting it down and giving the girl a smile.

"Ever wanted to go to the moon?" He asked mischievously. Ruby nodded quickly, and he pulled something from a pouch on his belt. Ruby held out a hand, and Horst deposited something white and cold into her hand. When she looked down, it was a small white rock, with a layer of dust that came off on her hand. As she stared at the small stone in wonder, it suddenly clicked what it was: this was a rock from Remnant's moon!

"Oh my gosh! That is so cool!" She whispered excitedly, and Horst nodded. She held the medium sized stone up to one eye between two fingers as she scrutinized its texture, noting its smooth surface and the white dirt that came off of it. The dust and the stone shone in the moonlight, and she looked back up at Horst in what could only be described as childlike awe. The sight made Horst smile, as it was an expression seldom worn in the City.

"Until we tell the rest of the team, keep that. Any time you feel like you need to tell them, just pull out that rock. If I see it a lot, we'll stop and I'll clue them in. Until then, we need to keep it a secret." He crossed his arms and sat down on the rock he had been seated at previously. "I know you think it's cool and interesting, but there are a few that would not take kindly to finding out I'm not from Remnant." Ruby's ecstatic grin faded slightly as understanding dawned on her, and her mouth set in a firm line.

"General Ironwood." Horst nodded in confirmation, and Ruby could understand his caution. After her talk with Penny, she knew how cautious the Atlesian General was. Penny had thrown her into a dumpster to keep Ruby from getting in trouble, and that was just for talking to Penny. If the General found out about an alien hiding out at Beacon, he'd tear it down just to get a hold of Horst. Ruby had no reason to dislike Ironwood, but she understood why Horst was so hesitant to tell everyone where he was from.

"Don't worry about keeping it a secret for long. Once I get in contact with my superiors, the Vanguard, everything will come out anyway. But until then, we need to keep things quiet." Horst said as he looked out into the forest.

"There's just one thing I want to know, Professor." Ruby's continued use of that title made Horst smile, and he turned his milky white eye to her. "Why are you here? Why come to Remnant?" The Guardian breathed out a deep sigh and shook his head.

"Besides the fact that every other planet is dead and devoid of life? Remnant used to be a part of a vast human empire. Used to." He emphasized. "The Darkness pushed us back; an evil that's as much a single entity as it is a teeming mass of armies. We almost lost, and we got pushed all the way back to Earth. I'm here to get help, so that we can fight off the Darkness and go back to doing something other than fighting." Ruby eyes were wide as he said this.

"Whoa. How long have you been fighting? Is the Darkness like the creatures of Grimm?" She asked, wondering what it was like to go out into space and fight some big bad evil.

"The Collapse is recorded as eight hundred years ago. We've been fighting since then, and we lost every colony we ever settled on. Men, women, children; all of them were slain by the armies of Darkness. Everything was wiped out, except for Remnant. When we found out everyone was still here, the Vanguard sent me." A flying Ghost to the back of his head made him correct himself. "They sent _us._ Me and Switch were supposed to come here and find out if the Huntsmen could help us fight."

"That's so cool! And Professor Ozpin knows about this?" Ruby asked excitedly. It was one more enigma to wrap around the mysterious Headmaster, but Horst held up a hand.

"Yes, he does. He's the one that told me to keep quiet around Ironwood, and I think I'll need to handle the White Fang and whatever else is brewing before I call home." Horst turned back toward the sleeping teammates. "We'll discuss more later, Ruby. Right now, I'm going to get some sleep." The red reaper looked crestfallen for a moment, but then she grinned widely.

"Okay. I'll take watch." Horst stood and walked over to where the others were sleeping, intent on leaning up against a wall and dozing off.

"Professor." Horst turned and looked at Ruby, who had Crescent Rose out to watch for Grimm. She smiled sheepishly, but her eyes held genuine appreciation. "Thanks for trusting me with this." Horst nodded and smiled as well.

"You are very trustworthy, Ruby. If you weren't, I never would have brought you along." With that, Horst sat down against a flat cave wall as quietly as he could and tried to get comfortable, while Ruby turned toward the night and kept watch. While Ruby wrestled with the new developments and her excitement, and Horst tried to get to sleep, neither one noticed Blake's bow twitching slightly as she lay near the fire.

* * *

 **That should do for now. I'm going to post a chapter from my other story now that I've gotten this one out of my head. No worries though; another update should come out before the end of this month. Until then, enjoy the Arkos and the intrigue as Horst's story comes out to more people.**


	6. Chapter 6

**Chapter 6**

Ozpin enjoyed his tea. He carried a mug around with him wherever he went. The warm, calming beverage did wonders to get him through the day when things got stressful. So, when there was something so annoying, threatening, irritating, or otherwise unpleasant enough to ruin a perfectly good mug of tea, it made Ozpin very upset. As he glowered at an equally irritated General Ironwood, a vein in Ozpin's forehead threatened to expose itself to the world. If the esteemed General noticed the irritation he was causing his old friend, he didn't seem to care.

"I'm asking you as a friend, Ozpin. Don't make me ask you as a general." Ironwood's tone was one of warning, but Ozpin's was far more menacing.

"And I am refusing you as a Headmaster, James. I will not betray one of my instructors to sate your paranoia." Ozpin kept his voice level, but the dangerous glint in his eye gave Ironwood pause. No one on Remnant would ever openly challenge Ozpin, and Ironwood was well aware that he was on dangerous ground. Out of either determination or foolishness, the Atlesian Headmaster stood his ground.

"No one in Vale has ever heard of him prior to this semester. For a teacher, no other academy has ever entertained a 'Titan' in their ranks for any span of time, and there is no record of his citizenship in any of the four kingdoms. Who. Is. He?" Ozpin stood from his chair, suitably angry now as he grabbed his cane. Above the two men, the gears to Ozpin's clock tower ground to a halt, interrupting the usual calming ambiance. In the silence that followed, the two most powerful men in Vale stared each other down. As they both stewed in their own anger, neither backing down from the challenge presented, when suddenly the elevator behind Ironwood chimed softly. As the doors opened, Glynda walked out into the office, her heels clicking sharply against the glass floor. As she looked up from her scroll, Glynda immediately picked up on the mood of the room.

"Is there something wrong, gentlemen?" The blonde teacher asked icily. Her riding crop came to her hand from where only Ozpin knew where, and the tone shifted toward a decidedly more deadly air as the three friends entertained less than friendly thoughts. With Glynda at his rear and Ozpin – the most powerful man in Vale – staring him down, Ironwood finally broke the stare down and turned around to stalk towards the stairs.

"If you won't work with me, then I'll find out myself." Ironwood intoned as he walked past Glynda, her golden orbs observing his every move as he walked into the doorway. The General stopped just at the threshold and turned, pointing an accusing finger at Ozpin. "If you are hiding something that is a threat to my kingdom, or ANY kingdom, you will answer for it, Oz." There was a mixture of sadness and anger in his voice, insufficiently masked by determination. Ozpin remained silent, and his long time friend stalked out of the room and down the stairs. Once he was gone, Ozpin heaved a heavy sigh and sat down, releasing his cane. As if receiving word from its master that everything was alright, the clock tower resumed its ticking and clanking anew. Glynda stowed her riding crop and walked around the desk and placed a hand on Ozpin's shoulder.

"Is everything alright?" She asked quietly, genuine concern in her normally indifferent gaze. Ozpin offered a tired smile, but it didn't reach his eyes. Few of his smiles did these days.

"James is very adamant to discover the Titan Horst's origins. And unfortunately, I now know exactly how he will react when he finds out." It was not worry that colored his words, but rather weary resignation. Glynda frowned, leaning against the desk.

"Why don't we clue him in on this, Ozpin? James has shown to be trustworthy before. He's an old friend, and you've known him for years." Ozpin winced at her words, but shook his head in denial.

"The James Ironwood that brought a small fleet of airships and is plotting with the Vale council is not the same one that has been my friend for so long. Something is pushing him, both to take control and to discover Horst. I fear that our enemies may have sway over our dear General." Ozpin stood up from his chair and grabbed his cane again, before walking past Glynda and toward the door. Glynda stood and followed him, unsure of the Headmaster's next move. Together, they descended the clockwork steps to the ground level of the tower.

"So, what do we do now?" Glynda asked as they walked. "It's quite an accusation if you think James is working with the enemy." They reached the ground floor and threaded their way through the halls, passing a few students on their way to classes. The students noticed the severe look on Ozpin's face and gave the two a wide berth. The Headmaster's stride was long and quick, though Glynda had no problem keeping pace.

"I'm not accusing him of working with them yet, at least not willingly." Ozpin reasoned as they crossed the grounds, passing Cid's little shack and headed for a more isolated tower near the edge of the plateau. "James has too big of a conscience to bring about the end of the world. That being said, he does seem hard pressed to sniff out anything we might be planning. Not the kind of behavior I expected from him when he first arrived." The smaller tower had two angled columns connecting to it to support it. It was stark white in color, and stretched nearly forty feet high. A single doorway stood open, exposing a worn elevator that rode straight to the top. The two rode the cramped car up in silence, until with a gentle chime the elevator opened up into a weathered belfry of sorts. There were several iron rods stretching across a largely open window. The exposure to open sky over many years had stripped the white paint from the walls in many places, exposing crumbling concrete and rusted metal girders to the open air. Iron cages hung from the ceiling, hanging empty and open from disuse.

Save one.

A single gnarled cage sat swinging in the breeze, with one black winged tenant. A sizable crow with crimson eyes stood valiantly, staring outward toward the sky. No food dish or stool collector sat near the cage, or any other means of upkeep for housing a bird. And from the eerie glow and knowing gaze coming from the bird, the avian wasn't entirely normal. The strange bird regarded Ozpin with its red stare, and the Headmaster extended a hand to unhook the latch on the cage. As soon as he did so, the bird jumped from its confines onto Ozpin's outstretched arm. His arm did not move, and there was nothing to indicate that the bird weighed anything at all, despite the fact that its body alone was the size of Ozpin's head. The crow ruffled its wings, and the feathers meshed together as if the creature was comprised of shadow and will alone.

"Are we really calling him in, sir?" Glynda asked in an exasperated tone. The crow looked at her for several seconds, then returned its crimson, unblinking gaze to Ozpin. The Headmaster walked over to the window with his avian companion and looked out into sunset. The sun had already dropped behind the mountains, bathing the clouds in a million different shades of pink, scarlet, and gold. Without the events that had transpired in recent weeks, it would be a peaceful vista. But all Ozpin could see in the fading dawn was the loss of light.

"We haven't heard from him in some time, and the things brewing in Vale will require a more subtle touch." Glynda scoffed at the word 'subtle', but Ozpin ignored it. Instead, he looked down at the near demonic bird perched on his arm.

"Go find me Qrow. Bring him back to Beacon." Ozpin ordered. The bird cocked its head and nodded, before flapping its wings nearly silently and diving off into the open air. The two teachers watched the bird disappear into the coming night, both standing and admiring the view. Ozpin clasped his free hand behind his back, hoping for an easy solution to the growing problems before them. Glynda just wished fervently – and in vain – that Qrow would show up sober this time.

* * *

Blake watched the crow fly over Emerald Forest in contemplation, one moving object in what was turning into a blue tinged sea of stars as night approached. She rested in the tree tops, keeping watch and listening for any encroaching Grimm as Ruby and Weiss put together an explosive way to clear out the Deathstalker warren they had found. Because of her extra extremities, and her naturally attentive nature, Blake always made the best scout and watch person. Her years in the White Fang had only honed her already expert ability to pick up on approaching trouble. But her acute hearing meant that she could focus on other things, and her current attention was on what Professor Horst – or should she say, Titan Horst – had revealed to Ruby the previous night. The knowledge was staggering to say the least, but it did explain Horst's sketchy origins, as well as Ozpin's clear favor with him. It also made sense why Horst was avoiding General Ironwood. Considering her own shady past, she couldn't fault him for avoiding attention, but 'class criminal' and 'extra terrestrial' were two very different things.

Blake was torn about it. She'd heard the agreement between Ruby and Horst, and it was an honest one as far as deceptions go. They were technically only lying by omission, something Blake had done with her Faunus heritage the previous semester. And Horst clearly intended on telling the team, but the secret seemed a moot point anyway; it was difficult for Ruby to keep a secret of any kind from her teammates. The fact that they were going to spend another two days in the wilderness with him meant that he'd eventually have to spill the beans anyway. Why did he hold off? Was it the same reason that she had run away from her team? Fear of rejection or judgment? Or was there more to Horst's deception?

Regardless of Horst's motivations, Blake figured that she could play along, albeit keeping a close eye on the professor. If he showed any ulterior motives, she'd be there to blow the whistle. But until then, she'd play the situation by ear, and keep an eye out for Ruby's little moon rock. A commotion below attracted Blake's attention, and she jumped down a couple branches to get a look at the camp site, where Yang, Ruby, and Weiss were putting together their plan to destroy the Deathstalker nest under Horst's supervision. Or at least, that was the idea. As it stood, the three girls were arguing over how much Dust to use in order to bring the massive hill down upon the Deathstalkers, crushing them in a cave in rather than fighting every huge scorpion to the death. It was a sound strategy, but the amount of Dust necessary was a tricky subject that the Schnee heiress was not letting go.

"I'm telling you, at least three crates of Burn. Otherwise, there won't be enough to level the cave." Yang said insistently. Her frequent use of fire Dust made her more knowledgeable about the subject than Ruby, but Weiss had not been raised oblivious to the family trade.

"That's way too much! We're trying to bring the cave down, not blow a huge hole in the wall! We're trying to crush them, not give them a new front door." Weiss lectured, closing the distance between herself and the blonde brawler. Yang took the challenge without hesitation, forcing Ruby in between the two as they bickered back and forth about measurements the young leader barely understood. On the other side of the camp, Horst was leaned up against a tree, thumbing through a copy of _Ninjas of Love_ that Blake had brought with her. While he agreed that the use of Dust was a good idea, it was up to Ruby to both calm her team and decide how much of the propellant/explosive to use. It was an exercise in team leadership that she would be facing alone.

 _Really, the literature around here is so...risque._ Horst thought to himself as a steamy love scene played out on the pages beneath his gaze. For some reason, Blake's bookworm hobby made a lot more sense. I mean seriously, that didn't even seem anatomically possible...

As Horst made himself no help at all while reading smut, Ruby struggled between her sister and her partner. While the older girls bickered and argued over measurements, Ruby tried to come up with a decent compromise. And to be fair, what she got wasn't terrible.

"Enough!" She snapped from between the two, causing both Weiss and Yang to look at her. With their argument temporarily forgotten, Weiss took a step back as Ruby pointed a finger at her.

"We're going to use a very precise amount from what you measure out." Ruby said firmly. Weiss smirked victoriously, while Yang let out an indignant 'hey!'. Ruby wasted no time in turning on her sister with the Finger of Authority, however. "AND we're going to plant it deep in the cave. Deathstalkers are big, and big caverns have support columns. We'll place the bomb, and get out. Less fighting, while still making it go boom!" She said happily, splaying her hands out as if pantomiming an explosion. Weiss and Yang both crossed their arms in thought, before finally nodding reluctantly.

"It's a better idea than blowing the hill to the moon, I suppose." Weiss relented.

"Yeah, and we still get to set off a bomb. So I'm good with it." Yang said with a savage grin, Ember Celica extending into their weapon forms as she threw Ruby a thumbs up. Horst looked up from the book and glanced between all three girls, before sighing and closing the cover. Looking up into the trees, he put his hand to his mouth.

"Blake. They stopped arguing, you can come down now." He yelled loudly but calmly. A rustling from above met his words, and the fourth member of team RWBY dropped from the branches. Blake landed right beside Horst, and her hand managed to snatch the book from his grasp as she hit the ground silently. The Faunus girl looked down at her favorite series and back at Horst, who shrugged innocently and grabbed his helmet.

"Alright Ruby, lay out the plan. Just be sure to use everyone's experience to full effect." Horst instructed. The other three gathered around their pile of supplies, using one of the metal dust crates as a war table of sorts. With no map to speak of, Ruby simply placed a snail shell that she had found while Yang and Weiss had been discussing the plan onto the case.

"Alright, as far as we know, there are only two ways that the Deathstalkers use to get from underground to the surface, and both of them come from underneath this large mound near the old temple." Ruby moved a finger to each entrance, one on either side of the snail shell. "Weiss and I will enter from one side with some of the Dust, and Yang and Blake will enter from the other side. We don't know what we'll find, so try to move toward a large central chamber. These Grimm are big, so there has to be a big area for them to mass up. If you have to fight, do it quickly." With that, she looked up at Horst. "Professor, I'm not really comfortable ordering you around. What do you want to do?" Horst chuckled and put his helmet on.

"It's a sound plan. I'll tag along with Blake and Yang to make sure things go smoothly. You're still students, after all, and you are under my care. I'll be along to make sure nothing happens." The helmet sealed with a snap and a click. "Just don't expect me to carry the brunt of the fighting unless things go sideways." At his praise, Ruby's face broke out into a beaming smile, and she looked immensely proud of herself. Blake smirked as well, and Yang and Weiss seemed on board too. All in all, it _was_ a sound plan. But no plan ever survived contact with the enemy.

Once the plan was laid out, Yang and Weiss began dividing the Dust evenly between the two teams. Weiss was very exact in her measurements, certain to be careful in handling the ground crystals into their casings. Once inside of the charges, the volatile substances would be resistant to any untimely detonations. The heiress slowly loaded the small, round cylinders, then sealed them and set the charges. Once they were primed, the bombs would do a lot of damage to whatever the team planted them on. With the delicate work done, Yang took one of the charges and stashed it in a satchel. Ruby's charge went into her backpack, and the two sisters slung their bombs to their shoulders. Because they were the more durable members of their pairs, Ruby and Yang were the better choices for bomb carrying. Black and Weiss were both fast, but required more movement. Ruby's semblance allowed her more control than Weiss' quick dashes, and the others would likely be too busy fighting giant arachnids to worry about carrying explosives. Although, if they could just transmat the bombs in, they wouldn't have to carry them at all...

On that note, Ruby grabbed at the little white moon rock in her pocket. She really wished that Horst would come out and tell the team, but she could understand his reasons for silence. She saw Horst's helmeted head incline towards her, and she knew that he saw the motion. She was so caught up in the subtle communication, Ruby didn't realize that Blake noticed as well. With some amount of trepidation, Ruby turned toward the large dirt mound that served as the doorway to an underground warren, a massive cave system that was home to many giant Grimm scorpions. The approaching night didn't faze her much; the oncoming darkness of their subterranean battleground would be far darker than the approaching night. There was a little fear, a whisper in the back of her mind that suggested they might lose. The charges might not go off, or that there would be too many Grimm. But the exhilaration she felt, surrounded by her team and their teacher, drowned out any chance of failure. _We've got this._ Ruby thought with a grin. And the five set out through the forest to their goal.

Yang and Blake made their entry from the far side of the mound, with Horst close behind. The young huntresses in training were lighter and quieter than their professor, and moved much more quickly while avoiding detection. At the foot of the mound, Blake looked up at the large deposit of dirt, clay, stone, and whatever else had kept it a hill while the rest of Emerald Forest was plateau and smooth forest. Geography wasn't her strong suit, but anomalies like this usually indicated something being wrong. Or maybe it was raised because of all the Deathstalkers forcing up from underneath it. Move a lot of dirt and rock from underground, and it had to go somewhere. Blake continued to stare up at the mound, her yellow eyes almost glowing in the near darkness. Yang and Horst caught up to her slowly, and the blonde noticed her teammate's troubled gaze.

"What's wrong, Blake?" Yang asked quietly. Blake remained silent for a time, then looked back down at the entrance to the underground warren, a gaping tunnel of rock taller than Horst and arranged with enough stalactites and stalagmites to look like a mouth full of teeth.

"I don't know. It just feels odd that there's this huge hill in the middle of a largely flat forest. I know there's the plateau and the mountains, but this just seems... out of place." Blake shook her head. "It's not important. Let's get moving." With that dismissal, Blake moved ahead quickly and silently. Yang and Horst exchanged a look, but followed her regardless. Yang was capable of silence at a slower pace than her Faunus partner, but Horst was just too heavy to move like the two students. He took his steps quietly and slowly, but it kept him separate from the two.

As the three moved deeper into the cave, what little moonlight that had graced them was drowned out by the earth and clay surrounding them. While the mouth of the cave was largely stone and sediment, further in the ground felt like soft dirt or even dust, a further indicator of extensive excavation. Blake and Yang kept close together with the help of Blake's night vision and ribbon, tied to the surefooted Yang as the two clambered over boulders, under overhangs, and deeper into the caves. Every sound seemed to echo, but the large majority of scraping boots and quiet curses came from the teacher they left behind. Blake and Yang were sure of themselves, and moved ahead without waiting on Horst, leaving him alone in the dark. The Titan noticed this, but was confident that if anything did happen, he would find them quickly. This was just like Crota's maze the night Horst and five others wiped the Hive Prince from the face of the moon. Confident that Blake and Yang were far ahead, Horst summoned Switch to illuminate the way. The little Ghost emerged in his trademark shower of sparks. As usual with his appearance in dark areas, Switch's gaze illuminated the area, allowing Horst to actually see the dark cave they slunk through. With the sudden light, the cave's walls were revealed...as well as the dirt beneath Horst's feet. Instead of the light brown or clay colored dust, the bottom of the cave was covered in a fine white dust. Horst knelt to the ground and ran his gloved hand across the fine powder, and felt tiny pinpricks between his fingers. That wasn't good.

"What is it?" Switch asked, Horst's large form blocking whatever he was looking at. The Titan didn't answer immediately, and instead looked up at the ceiling. Switch followed his gaze with the light, and they both gasped when the markings were revealed. On every Deathstalker, the telltale markings on every Grimm cover the claws, body, face, and underbelly. The crimson markings from a Deathstalker stretched across the ceiling, but they were massive. Whereas the etchings on a standard Deathstalker were intricate and close together, what danced across the ceiling was gross and singular. The markings were of some concern, but Horst couldn't tell if it was an attribute to a lot of Grimm living in a single area or carvings from more primitive cultures. There were also several mineral deposits that resembled the eerie glowing crystals that he had seen many times before, but never on Remnant.

"The floor is covered in crushed bone." Horst said, and looked back down at the powdered remains beneath them. "It's similar to what we found in Hive strongholds. But there's no sign of any Hive activity here." Horst searched his memory for victories against the Hive, and the only significant battle had been the destruction of Crota. After the Hive Prince had been felled, the Hive soldiers and monsters had collapsed into dust and bone, similar to what was beneath Horst's feet now. If the Hive had been defeated here, what had dealt the final blow?

"Hey Switch, Grimm are attracted to negative emotions, right?" Switch followed the lines on the ceiling. The Hive were probably the most evil of all things. As direct servants of the Darkness, the Hive's only motivations were to exterminate mankind and extinguish all Light in the galaxy. The Warmind Rasputin's databases indicated that Remnant survived the struggle against the Darkness, but this was the first piece of evidence that the Hive had been on Remnant. The fact that this single shred of proof was surrounded by Grimm couldn't be a coincidence.

"Yeah. Despite being comprised of Darkness, the Grimm probably wouldn't be fond of Crota's goons." The Ghost said as they continued to examine the cave. "You don't think..."The Ghost trailed off, but he was thinking of the utter ferocity and menace shown by the Hive, from the lowliest Thrall to the mightiest Ogre. The Grimm were drawn to negative emotions like moths to flame, eager to devour whatever they found. If the nasty little Hive had encountered the older, baser Darkness that was the Grimm...

"It's possible." Horst finished. "The Hive and the Fallen aren't here because the Grimm consumed them. The Darkness doesn't exactly promote teamwork, but even this is extreme." A low rumble interrupted the conversation, and vibrations echoed up from the ground into Horst's feet, even despite the carpet of pummeled bone. Earthquakes were common in Vale, but another glance at the markings on the ceiling sent a cold chill down Horst's spine. The lines in the ceiling lit up, casting a faint crimson glow that pulsed in sync with the vibrations that continued to echo throughout the cave. A deep rumble bounced off every nook and cranny, a deep reverberation that rattled the insides of Horst's armor and into his chest. It wasn't the sharp crack of an explosion, and it was too early for the bombs to detonate. The rumble began to find a tempo, a slow and deep boom that echoed all throughout the caves. Horst and Switch exchanged looks.

"You know, I was really expecting to run into giant pissed off scorpions by now." Switch offered as Horst pounded deeper into the cave, and then slid down a steep embankment and further in.

* * *

The third Deathstalker went down by its own mistake more than anything, stepping onto a Schnee's active glyph was never a healthy option. The white glyph changed to a cherry red, and the Grimm was hidden from sight in its own personal inferno. The large arachnid screeched in pain and flailed its tail and claws, and fell still as the flames abated. Weiss had no chance to enjoy the victory, as three more Deathstalkers clawed the air in an attempt to snatch Ruby out of the air as she flew. They were rewarded for their efforts with severed claws, a result that added their own pained screeches to the clamor of battle. Ruby landed on a cave wall and jumped off again, bouncing from edge to edge as she cut apart every Deathstalker that crossed her path. As she zipped around the cave in a flurry of rose petals and flashing metal, Weiss stood her ground and let the Grimm come to her. Deathstalkers are very directionally challenged creatures, something that the heiress used to wonderful effect. Because of their eight legs and heavy armor, the large scorpions were very bad at changing directions once they charged. The swinging stinger did little to help, and Weiss easily dashed to the side as two more blasted past her. The black spinning glyphs they ran into accelerated their speed, sending the two Grimm straight into the wall behind her at high speed. Twin crashes announced their impact, and the quiet hiss as their bodies disintegrated. With a little breathing room, Weiss looked around for her partner. She saw Ruby cut the last Deathstalker's stinger off, then back flip over its claws and slam the barrel end of Crescent Rose into the stinger as it embedded itself into the scorpion's abdomen. Another loud shot, and Ruby rocketed away from the large Grimm as it tittered weakly, killed and pinned to the ground by its own weapon.

"Why are there so many of them?" It wasn't panic so much as indignation that caused Weiss' voice to go high, and Ruby landed beside her with her scythe planted in the ground. The leader of team RWBY heaved a sigh and dropped the magazine from Crescent Rose, putting another in its place and racking the bolt.

"I don't know. I just hope the others aren't having this much trouble." Ruby worried, scanning the open cave for more crawling Grimm. Their initial assault had been quiet, the entrance to the cave twisting and turning a few times before dumping out into a large central cavern. While it had not been big enough or as connected as the main chamber they were searching for, it had been filled to the Grimm (Yang moment) with Deathstalkers. As such, the two had their hands full turning the arachnids into disembodied shadows until this point, and they had no idea whether or not the other team had run into a similar delay. A shining white glyph on the ceiling of the chamber had lit up the fight, but the light it produced failed to expose any other Grimm enemies.

"We need to move deeper into the caves, before more show up." Weiss stated as a matter of fact more than a suggestion. Rather than reply, Ruby simply ran toward the deeper section of the caves, where a smaller hole led downward. With an indignant 'hey!' and a stomp, Weiss struggled to keep up and followed behind. The passage ducked and turned in darkness, though a steady supply of glowing white glyphs at every turn provided ample light for the two Huntresses in training, fading into darkness after they passed them .As they moved in deeper, Ruby noticed that the caves seemed colder, and the air thick and stifling. There was no water on the rocks or in the dirt, but the air she and Weiss were breathing seemed like they were underwater. It did little to affect Weiss, but Ruby's high energy semblance took her breath away. If the oppressive ambiance didn't clear up, it would be a lot more difficult for Ruby to build up enough speed to slice through the armor on a Deathstalker. Ruby slowed her pace slightly, Weiss doing the same as they came to a fork in the path. Three glowing glyphs appeared courtesy of Weiss, one over each individual fork that led off in separate directions.

"Weiss, is it me, or is it hard to breathe down here?" Ruby asked, taking a deep breath as she tried to regain her composure. The usually spry girl did not like the cold draw of air that crept into her lungs and constricted her chest like a hand of ice. Weiss didn't seem as concerned, but Ruby could still see signs of worry on the heiress' face.

"We just need to keep moving. The junction has to be nearby, otherwise there would be other entrances. If we make the others wait, they may be attacked before we get there." Weiss turned to her partner and nodded toward the three options ahead. "Which one do we choose?"

The girls stared at the three branching tunnels ahead and listened quietly. The faint sound of wind echoed from behind them, and continued on into the left and right tunnels. The central path absorbed the acoustics of the sound, hinting at a larger area ahead. Ruby was no expert on the behavior of sound, but the center path also seemed slightly larger and more traveled, if the smoothness in the rock revealed by the glowing glyphs was anything to judge by.

"Let's go this way!" Ruby cried, and swung Crescent Rose to her back as she walked toward the middle tunnel. Weiss said nothing, but simply followed behind her. As they passed under Weiss' glyphs, she rearranged them with a wave of her hand. The small spinning circles of light came together at the middle tunnel, then danced along the ceiling further in. They moved at a light jog, and thankfully the oppressive aura faded slightly as they moved deeper in. Ruby realized that it had only been a few minutes since they had been outside, but the fighting and the dark caves made it seem as if they had been underground for hours. As they came around a sharp dog leg turn, Weiss and Ruby found themselves in a wide open cave with a high ceiling. The light from Weiss' glyphs failed to expose the true size of the cavern, but it was clear that this was their destination. Three large columns held the ceiling up, and there were three rather large Deathstalkers as well. One Grimm each sat near the columns, though they hadn't seemed to have noticed the two girls. From the lack of explosions and slicing, the other members of team RWBY and their teacher had not arrived yet.

"Do you think the Dust will be enough to take down the columns?" Ruby whispered. Her voice carried somewhat, but there was enough open air in the cavern to absorb her words long before the Deathstalkers felt the vibrations. Weiss carefully examined the columns from their vantage point, noting that each one narrowed near the middle. The charges would have to be placed ten or twelve feet up from the ground, but she was confident that removing two of the three supports with explosions would be more than enough to take out the nest.

"Definitely." Weiss replied quietly. "We need to wait on Yang and the others before we start though. Those Grimm are bigger than the ones we fought before." Ruby looked at her for a moment, then realized that her partner was serious and let her shoulders sag.

"Ugh, fine." Ruby nearly pouted as she sat down near a stalagmite, crossing her arms under her chest like a petulant child. Weiss turned up her nose and sat down next to the younger girl, allowing the two to sit and take in the ambiance of the nearly empty cavern. As far as subterranean caverns go, it was mostly flat, with a few puddles here and there from runoff and rain piercing the rocks above. Several rows of stalactites lined the ceiling here and there were the water dripped, casting reflections from Weiss' glyphs as she provided light to the chasm. To prevent early detection, the Schnee heiress deactivated all of her glyphs but the one directly above the two, allowing the wide cavern to fall to darkness. At least, so they thought.

As the pure white light emitted by the products of Weiss' Semblance died, a section near the center of the cavern remained lit. The light that danced within the center flickered as if from a fire, and was sickly and bleak as opposed to the bright purity of Weiss' glyphs. Ruby noticed the glow first and pointed it out to Weiss.

"Hey, do you see that?" She whispered, pointing in the direction of the glow. Weiss turned her head towards to strange illumination, and her eyes widened slightly when she noticed it.

"That does seem...odd. Do you think it could be an underground river or lake, giving off light from some glowing mushrooms or something?" Professor Peach had spoken about several subterranean species of fungus that lit up as a byproduct of their decomposition. It apparently had something to do with the grainy black matter that Grimm left behind when they died, but Ruby had fallen asleep during that particular lesson. Either way, with the others still nowhere in sight, the glow was something worth checking out as long as they did so quietly.

"Let's go check it out!" Ruby suggested, her silver eyes darting towards the cold ice-colored orbs of her partner. Weiss held out for a moment, before sighing quietly and nodding.

"Fine. But we have to be quiet. Three ancient Deathstalkers will be tough to beat without back up." Weiss cautioned as the two stood. Stepping carefully so as to not alert the still living Grimm, the two members of team Combat Skirt moved quietly around stalagmites and pools of clear, smooth water towards what appeared to be the source of the light. As Ruby got closer, the wall curved around into a slightly smaller alcove, and a strange deep rumble echoed from ahead. It was measured and constant, like a drum in the deep corners of the cave. Every reverberation resonated in Ruby's chest, and it left behind an uncomfortable feeling of dread. The pulses seemed to shake the very air, and they only got stronger as the two got closer to the source.

Around a particularly thick set of stalagmites that looked like needle point teeth, Ruby finally laid eyes on the source of the strange light: a small gaseous ball, floating in air several feet above the ground. The little wisp bobbed back and forth erratically, sitting still before quickly moving to one side or another with the quick motions that reminded Ruby of a bird watching a worm. The pulses slowed as she rounded the corner, but each one felt much more powerful.

"Ruby, what is that?" Weiss' voice came from close behind, but to the young Huntress her teammate's words came from far away, as if it were a remembered dream. For reasons she had not the strength to consider, the little bobbing wisp mesmerized Ruby, drawing her ever closer to it as she walked slowly towards it. The sickly light faded slightly in her presence, but she was still several paces away from the strange little ball. As she grew closer, the redhead could faintly hear whispers, echoing from all around, both around the cave and within the confines of her own mind. A language she did not know but somehow understood beckoned her closer, and Ruby could not help but obey. A name echoed through the whispers as they multiplied, uttered both in reverence and fear as she crept close enough to touch-

"Ruby!" A hand across her chest snapped the girl out of her trance, and she turned to see Weiss blocking her from the wisp. Weiss' face was contorted with worry, and somehow Ruby had crossed several meters in seconds. Or had it been seconds? An uneasy feeling of vertigo took hold of Ruby as she shook her head, clearing her thoughts before focusing on Weiss again.

"I don't...Weiss? What happened?" She asked hesitantly, focusing on her partner instead of tantalizing ball of gases in front of them. Weiss shook her head, and the two stepped back a few paces, turning toward each other instead of the mysterious wisp.

"You tell me, dolt. You weren't answering me, and you kept getting close to that, that... _thing_." Weiss uttered the last word distastefully, with some small measure of fear in her voice after she had seen what the strange light and pulsing shadows had done to her partner. Considering how powerless she had been to ignore the call of the strange orb, Ruby was a little afraid herself.

"I don't know. I just wanted to touch it. And for some reason, I heard people whispering. And there was a name...I can't remember, but they kept repeating a name." Ruby said uncertainly, and placed a hand on her pocket that held the moon rock. Suddenly, she wished Yang and the professor were nearby. This situation was weird, even for her.

"Let's get back to the tunnel, and stay away from whatever that thing is." Weiss half suggested, half ordered. "No good from something that feels so evil."

"Do you think that thing is why the Deathstalkers nest here? Or maybe it's how they're made? Professor Port never mentioned how Grimm reproduced or anything like that." Ruby frowned as she talked, and together the two girls stepped to the other side of the shallow pool that the wisp hovered over. Ruby noticed with some uneasiness that even though they had distanced themselves from the strange orb, the whispers still echoed within her head. She clenched her eyes shut and tried to banish the voices, but the focus only magnified them. Ruby clutched her head with her hands as they whispers grew in both volume and intensity, a pained whimper escaping her as the multitude of hushed words assaulted her tenfold. Weiss looked back to see the pained grimace cross Ruby's face as she held her head in her hands.

"Ruby!" Weiss nearly shouted in worry. So focused was she on her ailing partner, neither girl noticed that the wisp had moved. And it moved quickly. Striking forward as quickly as a Deathstalker's stinger, the wisp let out a hollow gong and slammed into Ruby's back, before disappearing completely. The eerie tainted glow did not leave the cavern, but rather intensified as the ghostly flames of the wisp curled around Ruby's arms and torso. Ruby's pained whimpers became panicked gasps as she glanced down at the strange clouds that danced around her, ethereal flames licking at her limbs with no bite. No, the strange energies that surrounded her did not hurt, all of the pain came from within: a cacophony of voiced howled in Ruby's head, chanting in a million different languages all at once as she cringed in pain.

"Weiss, make it stop! The voices, make them stop!" Ruby pleaded, one hand on her head while the other supported her. The redhead had collapsed to her knees under the mental onslaught, and Weiss grasped her arm in a vain attempt to help.

"Ruby, what's happening? What voices?" The worry in the heiress' voice was only matched by her confusion. Had some spirit or manifestation of Darkness attacked Ruby? Was she being possessed? Weiss didn't know what was going on, and she knew even less on how to help. Weiss bit her lip in worry and looked around to see if Yang or Horst was coming, and noticed with dread that all three of the large Deathstalkers they had been trying to avoid were creeping towards them, beady red eyes glowing in the encroaching darkness as they came ever closer to the withering ring of light. Weiss stood from Ruby's side and drew Myrtenaster, her rapier, and held it resolutely in front of her as the monsters approached. She knew that the others were close, and that right now her only goal was to hold off the Grimm and protect Ruby until the others arrived.

As if things couldn't get any worse, Ruby's pain threshold finally gave way and she let out a chilling scream.

* * *

Yang followed Blake through every turn and dip in the path, her eyes adjusting to the darkness as much a help as the ribbon wrapped around her right hand. Blake was gentle with her guiding tugs, and made sure to correct Yang if she took a wrong turn or failed to duck in time. The two made good progress, but a steady thrum from farther ahead caused the leading Faunus to pause. In the near pitch black tunnel, Yang couldn't see Blake's ears twitch underneath her bow, but the slight rustling of fabric in the otherwise silent cave gave the girl away.

"What is it Blake?" Yang asked quietly, her own purple eyes scanning the dark tunnel for anything amiss. In the less certain part of her mind, where she shoved all of her doubts before a mission, a part of Yang wondered if they should have gone slower to allow for Professor Horst to catch up. It was a moot point now; several minutes of a Blake neck pace (sorry) had caused the pair to outdistance their slower and louder teacher, leaving him to find his own way. The rebellious side of her reasoned that they were more than capable of handling this mission without supervision, but deep down Yang knew that Horst was as much a powerhouse as he was a supervising adult. Any fight that they got into would be far easier with the Titan's help.

Yang was snapped from her thoughts by Blake's ribbon going slack, and then the Faunus' hand wrapping around Yang's forearm in a tight grip. It was not hard to find Blake's slightly glowing yellow eyes in the dark, or see that they were slightly lidded in an expression of worry.

"We're near the main chamber, but something is wrong." Blake said at normal volume but in a worried tone, abandoning stealth in favor of urgency. "I can hear Ruby screaming." Nearly a decade of surrogate mother instincts welled up inside of Yang as she heard her partner's words, and it all turned to dread like water freezing to ice. Yang's eyes flashed from lilac to crimson for a split second, and her teeth grit in a half worried, half angry expression.

"What are we waiting for, let's go!" Yang urged, and Blake nodded in agreement. Abandoning their quiet approach, the two Huntresses turned each corner and descended every drop with near reckless abandon, and soon Yang could hear her little sister's voice with her own ears as well. Ruby's cries of pain and fear turned Yang's gut into a variety of knots, and the older sister fired off a round from Ember Celica and passed Blake, just as the snaking tunnel gave way to a massive cavern. Yang slid to a stop to take in the new area, as much to search for her distressed sister as to scan for enemies. The brief pause allowed Blake to catch up to Yang, and both had to duck as several shards of ice flew over their heads. The two followed where the sharp projectiles had come from, and saw Weiss holding off three abnormally large Deathstalkers near a shallow pool of water, with Ruby just behind her prone on the ground and clutching her sides. The Schnee heiress was using a variety of defensive glyphs and barriers to reflect the stingers from her Grimm enemies, dodging and redirecting whatever her Semblance could not stop. The graceful and competent Huntress moved deftly and quickly, but her barriers took a few seconds to construct. With three Deathstalkers attacking with claws and stingers, the young girl was locked in a desperate dance for survival.

Whether Ruby's condition was out of fear or pain, Yang did not know, but the sight made her vision tinge red as she gritted her teeth. With a deep growl normally characteristic to a savage creature, Yang leaped into the air towards the one sided fight. So focused on taking down the twisting and summoning girl in front of it, the Deathstalker closest to the cavern wall had no time to react when Yang came down on its head, her rage and strength coupled with Ember Celica splitting its carapace like an overripe egg. The Grimm collapsed without a sound and immediately began to disintegrate, but Yang had already moved on to the next closest Deathstalker.

The next scorpion had time to react to Yang, blocking the shots fired at its vulnerable eyes with its massive claws. The Grimm hissed in irritation at its new prey, displeased that Yang had interrupted its fun with Weiss. The Deathstalker lashed out with both claws at the blonde, forcing her to jump back a couple of steps and block with her gauntlets. Yang threw a few more punches, causing the Grimm to back up slightly while its partner continued to strike at Weiss and Ruby. Yang tried to duck under the claws to strike at the vulnerable face behind them, but a Deathstalker's armor was tough, and its defenses formidable unless caught by surprise. Unfortunately, the Deathstalker forgot something very important when fighting team RWBY: don't get so focused on the dragon that you forget the cat.

Gambol Shroud whistled through the air, its thrown tip embedding itself deeply into the juncture between the Deathstalker's stinger and its tail. The large arachnid shrieked in pain and swung its tail in an attempt to dislodge the blade. Instead, it gave the still hidden Blake to perfect leverage to pull Gambol Shroud from the stinger downwards, sinking the blade into one of the eyes near the top of its head. Another pain filled screech echoed off of the walls and ceiling of the cave, and the pain was enough for the Deathstalker's defenses to lapse, its claws separating slightly. Yang took the opportunity presented and began smashing the Grimm's face, throwing punches with wild abandon and a savage war cry. After five, six, seven blows, the Deathstalker's head had been thoroughly reduced to mush, and the giant scorpion trembled along its entire length before falling to the ground with a defeated hiss.

With the quick defeat of its compatriots, the final large Deathstalker stepped back a few paces cautiously, allowing Weiss a brief respite as it examined its new foes. The Grimm was old enough to understand the difference between a winning battle and a losing one, but this particular Deathstalker had not lived long enough to understand the wisdom in the phrase _live to fight another day_. With a defiant screech, the Deathstalker lashed out toward Yang with its stinger along with a simultaneously timed swipe towards Blake, who had leaped in from the side. Yang diverted her strike with a well placed blow from Ember Celica, but Blake was not as fortunate. The claw clipped her just as she landed, forcing the Faunus to stumble and roll to avoid the follow up impalement from the Deathstalker's deadly stinger. The golden barb lodged in the ground for a moment, earning both Huntresses time to close in and inflict damage. Black circled around to harass the Deathstalker's rear legs while Yang again tried to beat its face to paste. Twin alabaster claws held off Yang's furious assault, while Gambol Shroud proved too dull to remove a leg with one swing. The Grimm's age had clearly allowed for thicker armor, though it mattered little as a hail of icicles rained from above the Deathstalker, pinning three of its eight legs to the ground. A pained cry loosed from the large bug, but Weiss would have none of it. A trail of golden glyphs danced between the heiress and her prey at her whim, and a quick calibration to Myrtenaster sent a sliver of white light down the blade. While the Deathstalker flailed in pain, time seemed to slow for Weiss as her time dilation glyphs activated. Her normally swift dash was magnified by the effect of her spell, and Weiss dashed forward more quickly than anyone could see. With the aid of her speed and her Dust-enhanced blade, Myrtenaster had no problem sinking deep into the head of the final Deathstalker. After the impact jarred her arm slightly, the Schnee's concentration broke, and time resumed its normal march. With her blade buried to the hilt in its head, the Deathstalker could do little besides hiss weakly and collapse, defeated by their joint tactics and the fury of team RWBY.

The standing members of said team took a brief second to appreciate the fruits of their labor, before a pained cry from Ruby snapped all three from their thoughts. Together the three Huntresses rushed to Ruby's side, Yang the most desperate of them all as she rushed to her sister's aid. Over the course of their fight, the ethereal flames that had encased Ruby's arms had expanded to cover her shoulders as well, and ghostly embers began to tether at her ankles as well. Ruby's screams had ceded to quiet moans of pain, her eyes clenched shut as she fought off whatever mental assault plagued her. Yang looked up from her distressed little sister to Weiss, a frantic look on her face.

"Weiss, what happened?! How did she get like this?" The heiress, for once in her life, appeared uncertain. She looked between Blake and Yang nervously, and then licked her lips.

"I'm not quite sure, to be honest. We got here a little bit before you two did, and Ruby noticed this strange glowing light. Something about it seemed wrong, and I told her to stay away from it, but she wouldn't listen to me. It was like she was in a trance or something." Weiss' shoulders rose and fell in a gesture of helplessness. "I managed to get her away from it, but it followed us over here and ran into her. After that, she started begging for voices to stop and crying, and then things got worse from there."

Yang winced at the story, then looked back down at Ruby with worry. As she did, she noticed something peculiar: the small black dust particles coming off of the disintegrating corpses of the Deathstalkers were feeding into the flames that sought to cover Ruby's cowering form. Everywhere they touched, the eerie white-green flames consumed them and spread a little farther across Ruby's body. Thinking quickly, Yang looked up at Weiss.

"Put up a glyph underneath us! Keep the dust from getting to her!" Yang snapped. Weiss nodded weakly and complied, raising a her left hand and extending a finger before swinging it in a wide circle. A larger glyph than normal appeared across the ground beneath them, blocking off all Darkness in the area. Where the dust trails had at first lazily danced through the air towards the girls, they now ceased to exist wherever the glyph reached. When the glyph went up, the ghostly fires on Ruby's body also seemed to recede, and her whimpers were less pitiful. Yang shot Weiss a tired look of gratitude when she saw this, but it was replaced by one of worry when she took in the heiress' state.

The constant use of her Semblance, fighting off three elder Deathstalkers, as well as the strange encounter with the wisp had shaken and tired out the normally resolute girl. Her breath came in shaky gasps, and Myrtenaster shook slightly in her tired grip. Blake stepped over to Weiss' side and offered a supporting arm, which the girl took without question or complaint. The glyph remained on the ground, but Weiss slowly took a seat near Ruby to conserve her strength. In the calming light of her spell, Weiss leaned back in a tired slump.

"Thanks for coming, you two." She said tiredly. "A few more minutes of that and I would have had to use the dolt as a shield." Weiss meant it in jest, but with Ruby's condition still uncertain Yang couldn't bring herself to laugh. Blake stood above the other three in worried silence, with little else to offer besides her reassuring presence and her sharp ears.

It was with these senses that Blake noticed the cracking ceiling before the other two conscious members of RWBY. Blake's head jerked up quickly as rocks and gravel rained from above where the three Grimm had fallen. The other two noticed her reaction and followed her gaze, and Yang stood up slowly when she noticed the event. Sharp cracks echoed throughout the cavern as something weakened the rock from above. Blake and Yang stood ready to fight off whatever emerged from above, Ember Celica at the ready and both blades of Gambol Shroud drawn.

Another few crunches echoed from the impact point, and suddenly a silver and blue clad figure fell from the ceiling in a shower of dust and gravel. The conscious members of team RWBY tensed when the person impacted into the ground in a crouch, but they relaxed when it became clear that Horst had finally found them. The professor looked around at the fading corpses of the Deathstalkers and the eerie light that permeated the chamber, before his helmeted gaze finally settled on the distressed Ruby lying in the middle of her teammates. Horst climbed from the ground and made it to Ruby's side quickly, kneeling down next to the sobbing girl as he took in the sight. Where his hands gently pressed her arms and shoulders, the flames ebbed or even died completely. However, when he took his hands away, the ethereal fires danced back into their original places. From Horst's perspective, it looked as if the fires were trying to bind her or consume her.

"What happened here?" Horst's question was not sharp or accusatory, but it brooked no argument either. Weiss quickly summarized the events that had led up to Ruby's condition, and offered her observations on the strange floating wisp that had attacked their leader.

 _We find Hive bones fragments, and now this looks a lot like Hive magic. But I haven't seen a spell this potent since we fought Crota_. The more Horst saw of the strange flames and the tethers that began to form at her wrists and ankles, the more he wished that a Warlock was present. Barring that, however, he'd have to settle for the next best thing.

"Guess the cat's out of the bag." Horst muttered to himself as he raised a hand over Ruby's trembling form, palm upward. "Switch, I need you here."

With a reluctant pause, the Ghost materialized in his hand, a glare already leveled at Horst's face as he appeared. Yang and Weiss stared at the construct with wide eyes, while Blake merely watched and said nothing.

"You are absolutely terrible at keeping secrets, you know that?" Switch snarked dryly. Before Horst could retort, the Ghost rotated in his palm and turned to face Ruby. A blue wave exuded from Switch's single eye as he scanned the prostrate girl below them, gathering reading from her aura and the strange spell that afflicted her. Once he completed that, the little Ghost floated and tittered a bit as he compared it to his previous records. When he pieced together what was found, Switch groaned.

"Oh, you are not going to like this." The little Ghost said reluctantly. "Do you remember that shrine we found on the moon, the one the Speaker mentioned?" Horst searched his memory, and recalled a raid with another Titan deep into the Hive stronghold on Earth's moon, where a very large and angry Knight had defended a peculiar black sphere the size of a small building. After the Knight had been defeated, Horst and his friend had combined their Light and banished the strange orb from their plane of existence.

"Yeah, the Shrine of Oryx. I remember it being tethered to some creature far outside of the Solar System." Horst supplied. Yang and the others looked on, lost as their professor had a conversation about things they had never heard about with a floating smart ass light bulb with wings. It was a surreal experience to say the least.

"It was tethered to Oryx. If you recall, Crota was always referred to as a Hive Prince, and the 'Son of Oryx'. Well the bad news is that the spell on Ruby is the same tether that was on the Shrine." Switch turned and focused back on the girl on the floor, her pained whimpers nearly gone as the flames subsided. "Luckily, her aura is strong, and being surrounded by her teammates' auras and your own Light has prevented Oryx's power from taking her completely. If you just channel your Light, you should be able to break the spell."

Horst nodded at that and stood up from Ruby's side, Switch floating over near Blake as he did so. The Titan rolled his shoulders before holding his arms out above Ruby, elbows bent slightly to form a ring over the suffering girl.

"I'm going to need you three to stand back. This kind of thing may have side effects." Horst warned. Weiss and Blake took several paces back without question, but Yang wasn't convinced.

"What is all of this Professor Horst?" Her voice was tumultuous with her confusion and worry for her sister. "What is that little floating thing, and who is this Oryx you keep talking about?" Horst didn't look at her, but simply continued to concentrate on channeling his Light into his arms.

"I can explain all of this later, but right now I need to save your sister. Now please, I need to concentrate." Contrary to his unstoppable demeanor, Horst's pleading words were just shocking enough to entice some reluctant obedience out of Yang. The blonde brawler stepped back a few steps, though she remained closer than Weiss or Blake. Yang grasped her own arms as she hugged herself anxiously, wrought with worry over her little sister's condition.

After a few more seconds of concentration, the girls noticed that Horst's arms glowed brightly as a white coating of light surrounded his gauntlets. Holding his arms out with care, Horst gently knelt down next to Ruby as slowly as he could. He kept his illuminated appendages away from her for a moment, as if hesitant, before firmly taking hold of the girl's shoulders. His Light flashed as soon as he made contact, and all traces of the ethereal flames disappeared from Ruby's body. Her furrowed brow smoothed to a more serene expression, and the reaper's tensed muscles finally relaxed for the first time in minutes. However, the connection was not severed, it seemed.

A raspy growl echoed throughout the entire cavern, as if from an ancient beast that had been awoken from a long and deep slumber. It spoke of terrible knowledge and raw power, a deep bellow that sent ice down the spines of both Guardian and Huntress as it permeated the area. The suffocating aura that Ruby and Weiss had noticed earlier returned full force, and suddenly the air behind Horst was wreathed in green flame similar to the wisp. All five of the conscious beings turned to face the new occurrence, and watched as the green energies coalesced into a large projection.

Whatever creature was casting an image of itself to them, it was ugly. Three angry eyes hung the air, burning two over one with a vengeful fury none present had witnessed before. From the green ethereal silhouette, a large horn jutted out from either side of the creature's head and added to its fearsome appearance. Whatever else comprised of the dark creature's form was lost in transition, but what was projected was nearly the size of the large Deathstalkers.

 **"Light! Creatures of that infernal Traveler and its cursed maidens! Give your will TO ME!"** The apparition demanded. The voice that echoed from projection was old and raspy, but trembled with power earned from a thousand lifetimes. For the first time in a long while, Horst was afraid. That being said, he couldn't afford to show his fear, especially in front of his students.

"And just who the hell do you think you are?" Horst demanded, pointing an accusing finger at the floating abomination. A deep, low chuckle was his response as the apparition shook with mirth. Horst dared cast a glance at the girls behind him. The color had drained from their faces, mouths slightly agape as they were hit with the full force of the creature's will. At their feet, Ruby slept on, oblivious to the cosmic power that threatened them.

 **"I am Oryx, King of the Taken Realm! Witness me and despair, worthless Guardian!"** The three hateful eyes bore straight into Horst's soul. He shivered slightly at the inhuman rage contained in those three orbs of fire. **"You slew my son, servant of the Light! I will have vengeance for Crota. First Earth, and then you!"** The now named Oryx snarled at Horst. Before any more could be said, the green fire and smoke that comprised the projection conjoined into a single wisp again, causing Weiss' eyes to widen in recognition, before the orb bolted upward through the rock ceiling, passing through stone as if it were nothing. Silence again fell over the cavern, and the foreboding presence dissipated and allowed the Huntresses in training to breathe. Horst looked around at the others, glad that nothing permanently harmful had come form the encounter, before a debilitating shriek echoed through the entire cave system. Blake in particular was affected, dropping to her knees as she futilely attempted to cover her ears. The others were similarly assaulted, but not brought to tears like their Faunus teammate. The screech was long and loud, and took several seconds before it finally abated. As soon as it did, the rumbling that Horst had noticed earlier returned in earnest. Above the group, and series of red carvings and lines made themselves known as they danced across the ceiling in crimson light. As Horst stared at the phenomenon, the connections finally dawned on him.

The immense hill, surrounded by flat forests and plateaus. The concentrations of one type of Grimm. The red markings, both here and earlier in the cave. Whatever Oryx had done, he had awoken something very, VERY big.

"Mother of the Traveler..." Horst whispered to himself. It wasn't a hill, or mound, or any other geological feature. As a single gargantuan leg broke free from its stone prison, the realization struck the members of RWBY: they were underneath a giant Deathstalker.

* * *

So, first off: apologies for missing the deadline I laid down in the previous chapter. That being said, I feel like setting any kind of nonregular deadline is just asking to miss it. As for what has distracted me for so long, I will say only one thing...Ad Victoriam.


	7. Chapter 7

Giant scorpions are a no no. The consumption of evil emotions and energies from Oryx's little flare definitely made momma Deathstalker one hefty honey. Now, Weiss is exhausted and Ruby is out of commission. How will four people take down this ginormous Grimm? Find out, and mind the shrapnel. It's gonna get explosive. **Lift Me Up** by _Five Finger Death Punch_.

* * *

 **Chapter 7**

Two massive legs shook the entire cavern as they broke away from their stone prisons, the immense Deathstalker slowly rousing from its slumber. Horst watched the faint moonlight creep in from the edges of the cavern as the massive scorpion shifted, and it dawned on him exactly how large the Grimm was. The reason there weren't any of hills in Emerald Forest quite as large as this one was simple: it wasn't a hill. The Deathstalker had curled up or be knocked unconscious so long ago, the forest had grown up around it. He struggled to estimate its height, but could only concede that it was nearly a hundred feet high. Whether its movements were sluggish due to its prolonged slumber, or perhaps simply because of its large size, it was an opening that needed to be exploited.

"We've got to get out of here!" Horst cried over the pseudo-earthquake cause by the titanic Grimm breaking free from its resting place. Blake and Yang nodded, communication hampered by the sound of falling rock and shifting rubble. Horst knelt and scooped up the still unconscious Ruby into his arms, and lent a hand to Weiss as she stood up shakily. The heiress rocked on her heels for a moment, but managed to maintain her footing after a shaky breath. Together, the four standing fighters moved back toward the tunnels they had entered through. More rumbling and crashes echoed from above, and even more moonlight appeared as the Deathstalker got up from the ground. Finally standing, the immense arachnid slowly moved away from its resting place, exposing a series of tunnels and caverns to the night air like an anthill that had been leveled. With the outside so close, Horst gathered his strength into his legs and leaped up out of the warrens into the air, using his Lift ability to float even higher until his boots touched down on the soft grass of Emerald Forest once more. Blake and Yang jumped up out of the caves as well, but Weiss remained behind. Horst turned to look back down at the tired Schnee, and she waved her arm forward.

"Go, stop that monster!" She cried. "I'll find my way up somewhere else." Horst paused and watched his student jog back toward the entrance, using her memory of their entrance point as a reference. Uneasy about leaving Weiss behind, Horst realized that he had no choice in the matter. Now that they were above ground once more, the three looked around for the large Grimm that had served as the ceiling to their cave mere moments before. Sure enough, the green streaked carapace of the huge Deathstalker could be seen as it moved through the forest, its eight legs crawling forward methodically as it approached Beacon. The school still sat on its plateau high above the forest, but Horst wasn't willing to find out whether or not the giant Grimm could climb the cliff face. Working on a plan, he turned to Yang and handed her Ruby. The brawler gently took her little sister, concern and worry etched all over her face as Ruby remained unconscious.

"Take Ruby and get her out of here." Horst instructed sternly, his tone brooking no room for an argument. "Find a safe place away from here, and try to warn the school. There are hundreds of students at risk." Yang looked ready to protest, but finally relented when she saw the Deathstalker getting further and further away. Not quite hiding the frustration she felt, Yang shifted Ruby in her grip and started toward Beacon. She stopped and paused, then reached for the small of her back where the Dust explosives they had planned to use still rested.

"Here." She tossed the bomb to Blake, then unhooked Ruby's and threw it to Horst. "We didn't get to set them, so we might as well get some use out of them." Horst caught the small capsule one handed, and then placed it at his hip since Chimera took up so much space on his back. Black placed hers in the middle of her back and drew Gambol Shroud to allow for room. With the remaining fighters outfitted, Yang looked around for their third.

"I'll try and find Weiss and get them clear, then I'll come back when I can." She said evenly. "Do what you can until I get back." Horst shook his head at her words.

"We have no idea what Oryx's spell did to Ruby. Get her to Ozpin, directly. We'll take care of this little pest." Horst nodded towards Beacon. "Go. Now. We'll take care of Weiss." Yang hesitated, but nodded with a frown. With nothing else to say, Yang secured Ruby in her arms and set off toward Beacon at a dead sprint, more than likely to overtake the massive Deathstalker also heading toward the school. Horst watched her run, golden hair waving wildly in the wind, then turned to Blake.

"Weiss' Semblance will be useful in taking that thing down. Find her, and bring her with you. I'll do what I can to distract it and keep it away from the school." Horst ordered. Blake nodded once and dropped back into the exposed tunnels of the underground warrens, heading toward the entrance Weiss was closest to. With that done, Horst himself started running at a decent pace, working on a plan as he caught up to the Deathstalker. His legs pounded into the soft grass, leaving behind tangible footprints as he chased after his large quarry. Because of the its weight distribution, the giant Deathstalker left behind no such marks in the ground, but it was thankfully large enough to see even in the faint light of the shattered moon. The immense Grimm was nearly a mile away from the cliffs, and slowly gaining ground. Its size and likely slow metabolism made its movements sluggish, and Horst was able to catch up to it in little time.

Trees flashed by as Horst moved off to one side of the Deathstalker, skirting to its left just far enough away to stay clear of its stinger should the beast notice him. A few fallen logs blocked his path, but the Titan jumped clear of them with little effort and finally made it ahead of the Deathstalker. His interdiction was well timed, as a few hundred yards to his rear were the old stone ruins that the first year teams had been tasked to find during their orientation. It was still some distance to reach the cliffs, but the ruins would provide cover and maneuverability in a fight should the Grimm prove to be a handful. Horst did not hesitate to cross the Deathstalker's path, and caught sight of the immense Grimm in its entirety for the first time.

From its long hibernation spent as a hill, there were several saplings and patches of grass still clinging to the carapace of the immense Deathstalker. Its underbelly was colored black like its smaller relatives, but the characteristic red markings covering every part of its body, even going so far as to twist around each of its eight legs. The Deathstalker's eyes glowed the same eerie white-green that the flames from Oryx's image earlier had, and there was a single line of four eyes going up each side of its head as well as the cluster of eight eyes directly above its clicking mandibles. The beast's claws were white and covered in red markings, but the thumbs of the claws were the same bright gold as its stinger. With these new traits as well as its massive size, Horst knew that caution was required here. Who knew what kind of abilities this thing had?

Horst rounded out his turn to stand in front of the immense Deathstalker, sliding to stop fifty yards ahead of it and drawing Chimera from his back. Horst held the blade in a reverse grip one handed, resting it at his right hip as if it were sheathed there. The Deathstalker did nothing to advertise that it noticed him, and continued its march toward the school unhindered by the appearance of a single man in its path. Horst stood ready, his feet shoulder width apart and his right foot forward. His left hand found his Hakke sidearm, and he fired one handed at the massive scorpion. As expected, the rounds pinged harmlessly off of the Deathstalker's thick armor, its carapace hardened due to both its size and age. The rounds did, however, attract the giant bug's attention.

Switch materialized at Horst's shoulder as he holstered the sidearm on his left hip, his right occupied by the bomb. The Deathstalker turned its burning green gaze toward the two and ushered forth a screech, like a thousand nails on a thousand chalkboards. Horst winced at the audible onslaught, and looked at Switch.

"We've got its attention! Now what?" The Ghost demanded, and the Deathstalker lurched forward quickly, crossing fifty yards in seconds. A giant claw sliced through the air to split Horst in half, but the Titan was already circling around to the other side. The second claw parted the air to cut him off, and Horst stepped outside of its reach and dragged Chimera's blade across the thickened armor. A shallow scratch followed the Light enhanced sword's path as he applied pressure, and he broke away from the large appendage and put a pair of trees between himself and the Deathstalker. The massive Grimm hissed in annoyance at the scratch, and Horst smirked at the slight damage. At least he could hurt the thing.

"Switch, run a scan and compare it to Oryx's Shrine and the magic he inflicted on Ruby." Horst said as he dove into a roll, another serrated claw cutting down the trees as if they were dry grass before a scythe. The Ghost flew above the melee as Horst was forced to block the next strike, a follow up slash that awaited him at the end of his roll. The blow was strong, but he flew away harmlessly into the branches of several large trees to the Deathstalker's left. The Titan grunted as branches of varying size and strength shattered against his back, but he landed without injury several yards away. His foe gave him no room to breathe however, as the titanic scorpion charged after him, its mandibles clicking furiously. Horst ducked and blocked as many claw strikes as he could, and was forced to sidestep a gleaming stinger that entered the fray. With two very strong claws and a pinpoint accurate stinger in play, Horst backed off into a more defensive strategy. The Titan blocked and moved, luring the giant arachnid away from the school as best he could while staying close enough to keep the Grimm interested. He cut his run short and doubled back in an attempt to surprise the Deathstalker, but his two handed overhead slash was blocked by the golden part of the left claw. Unlike the bone carapace decorated with white streaks, the golden portion of the Deathstalker's body took no damage from Chimera. To make matters worse, the claw closed over his blade and its opposite came quickly after Horst. Rather than hold on and get grabbed, Horst released his blade and jumped high into the air. It was poorly timed, however, as the stinger lanced through the air faster than he could respond and punched him through the air. Horst flew back toward the cave system, and the Deathstalker idly discarded his sword and turned to resume its march to Beacon. Horst tried to use his Lift to slow his fall, but the landing hurt like a bitch anyway as he dug a furrow thirty yards long into the ground. Horst groaned for a moment as pain lanced up his back from the harsh landing, then sat up wearily.

Switch appeared above him, his facets spinning slowly as he took in his sitting Guardian.

"You know, you're supposed to avoid the giant golden stinger. Not hug it." Without waiting for a response, the Ghost transmatted Chimera next to Horst, the sword sinking its blade into the dirt with a soft clink. Horst rose from his man made ditch and rolled his shoulders, the pain ebbing as his Light repaired what damage his armor hadn't absorbed.

"I'll try harder next time." Horst stated dryly as he plucked his sword from the dirt and swung it clean, before sheathing it on his back once more. "What did the scan yield?"

"It's just as you suspected; the same connection that had been present at the Shrine is radiating from the Deathstalker. It's safe to assume that Oryx is controlling it." Switch reported. Horst nodded to himself and looked in the direction he had been thrown from. The swinging golden stinger could be seen even from where he was, bouncing lazily as the Deathstalker continued its march uninterrupted. He was about to stomp after it, but rustling from behind him interrupted the Titan. Emerging from a sizable bush in comparable states of dirtiness, Blake stood with Weiss slung across her shoulders in what could only be described as a piggyback ride. When Blake saw him, she set Weiss down gently and brushed off her leggings, clearing off the dirt with ease. Weiss' white dress, however, had been soiled beyond the repair of anyone other than a seamstress and industrial cleaner. Several twigs stuck out of the heiress' disheveled hair, and her expression was one of pained acceptance.

"Professor." Blake said evenly, her golden eyes settling on Switch as the Ghost beheld both Huntresses in training. "If we had time, I would ask you to explain yourself to Weiss. But that can wait until later." The Faunus student focused on the immense Deathstalker they had all mistaken for a hill nearly an hour earlier, its golden stinger dancing in the night like a very large star. "What's our plan to deal with that thing?" Weiss looked back and forth from Horst and Blake, but declined to comment as Horst shook his head.

"I knew you were too quiet that night. Very well, I owe you all an explanation, but right now we have to stop that Grimm from climbing the cliff." Horst pointed towards the bomb attached to Blake's back. "I have a plan, but it will involve both bombs."

Weiss then chose to interrupt. "I hate to be the bearer of bad news, but we won't have enough time to prime the remote detonators if we simply strap them to the beast. It will difficult enough to plant them at all." Weiss cemented her role as the team's pessimist, but she brought up a valid point.

"Weiss, can they be triggered by shots from our weapons?" Horst asked. Weiss shook her head, inadvertently dislodging several twigs as she did so.

"No. They're combat casings. The larger models can be used as cover from small arms fire. Unless we hit them with a large blast or detonate them properly, the charges won't ignite." Weiss patted Myrtenaster. " I can generate enough heat to set them off, but my aura is weak. I'll only have a few shots."

Horst looked between the two Huntresses, and a plan began to form in his mind. It was risky, open to failure, and they still didn't know if the Deathstalker had any tricks up its sleeve, especially being bolstered by Oryx's magics. Still, it was the best shot they had. As the ones that had inadvertently awakened said beast, it was RWBY's – and his, as he had planned the expedition – responsibility to destroy the Deathstalker before anyone else got hurt. It was a daunting task, but Horst had felled stouter foes. Weiss and Blake were no slouches, either.

"Alright. Our best bet is to reduce its defenses. Blake, we'll need your speed and Semblance to distract the creature, and I'll provide fire support." He looked at the dirty heiress. "Weiss, stay on the edge of the fight and try to rest. We may need more glyphs later on. If you see anything we can use, don't hesitate to call it out." The Titan pulled his bomb from his thigh, tossing the explosive in his hand a few times before re-securing it. "Blake, our targets are the claws. Plant your bomb as close to the main body as possible, and we'll work out how to detonate them later. Get in, get out; no heroics." The former White Fang operator nodded.

Together, the three turned toward the rampaging Grimm and sprinted after it, Weiss moving more slowly than the other two to conserve her strength. As she ran behind them into the moonlit night, she couldn't help but worry about Ruby, and her condition inflicted by the evil magic of Oryx.

* * *

It was difficult for Ruby to describe her surroundings. At times, it felt as if she were floating in an empty void, weightless and powerless to move or even breathe. At others, she felt as if she were hurtling through space, millions of stars blurring into billions of lines as she flew to some unknown destination. In either case, Ruby's limbs were too heavy to move, and even her thoughts felt sluggish.

 _Where...where am I?_ The reaper thought to herself. The memory of what had happened was hazy, but she seemed to remember the odd green flare she and Weiss had found in the cave. After that, an image had burned into her brain of a horned, three headed being absolutely brimming with hatred and cold, unfeeling intelligence. Its three eyes had bore into her very being, and after that there was only screaming, pain, and an oppressive aura that trapped her, smothering her aura and threatening to drag her into oblivion.

Slowly, Ruby's cognition righted itself, and the suffocating darkness that threatened to keep her was suddenly batted away by a glowing aura that filled her with warmth. The light seemed to come from all around her as much as from her own aura reserves, and it banished the choking darkness that had threatened her. But even though she was clear of the strange evil miasma, she still hurtled through space at incomprehensible speeds. Panic welled up within her despite the reassuring glow that continued to pervade her senses, until suddenly the stars ceased their hurried march before her eyes. Ruby winced at the sudden stop, vertigo to the nth degree assaulting her consciousness. When she opened her eyes once more, the red head gasped in amazement at the sight.

Hanging in front of her was a massive planet, a gas giant of incredible magnitude far larger than Remnant. Its surface was a milky mixture of browns, yellows, and reds that swirled in a slow turn with the planet's rotation. On top of that, a thick set of golden rings wrapping around the planet, giving it an even more mystifying appearance. Though she did not know it, Ruby was staring at Saturn, a planet in a solar system light years away from Remnant.

 _Whoa... this is so cool._ Ruby thought to herself as she took in the amazing vista. _Wait, what's that over there?_ In the middle ring closest to Ruby, a wide sphere had been struck through the otherwise whole trails that encircled Saturn. Sitting in the center of the abyss was a small, oblique object that was too far away for Ruby to recognize. As if it recognized that thought, the object and the planet's rings suddenly rushed towards Ruby, or so it seemed. The red head had no way of telling whether she was moving or the objects in from of her were, but the sight was unsettling regardless. Soon, she hung in empty vacuum in front of something very large, what she could only describe as a tomb.

It was large and dark, eclipsed from any light by its jutting corners and the planet it orbited. For miles, none of the rings came near it (though Ruby was surprised to see that the rings were comprised of dust, meteors, and ice) as if they were forbidden. The object had four corners and hung in the void as if it belonged there, with no sight of any engines or propulsion of any kind. It looked like some kind of temple had been turned on its side and thrown into space, all spires and sharp balconies as she drew closer. On one side, a massive circle sat in the center of the object's mass. Ruby took in the sight, and decided that she didn't like whatever the immense carving was. She got the sinking feeling that it was a weapon of some sort, though what kind she had neither idea nor imagination to fill the void. Her approach quickened towards the object, and Ruby fought off the inevitable headache as the image stretched in front of her eyes. The strange temple ship thing rushed towards her, and when she stopped again, she realized that it was much bigger than she had first thought. A massive balcony stretched across the area where she was, though it was open to the depths of space. From what her teachers at Signal had taught her, there were no living beings that could survive in the vacuum of space unprotected for a great length of time. Of course, she had been transported across space after touching a floating fireball that had filled her head with visions of some evil alien, so reality was kind of objective at this point.

Whatever power that had held her aloft slowly set Ruby down onto the balcony, and the dust kicked up underneath her boots as she landed. Ruby looked around for any signs of... well, anything really, but she appeared to be alone on the temple. The dark foreboding feeling from earlier came back slightly, but it wasn't something that held her back. Rather, it brought on a sense of caution and wrongness, as if she simply wasn't supposed to be there. Still, Ruby pushed past the feeling and took a few steps toward the wall, or what she assumed was a wall. The architecture was sharp and Gothic in nature, seemingly built from chitin and bone. The Huntress in training couldn't tell how old the place was, but decay was evident here and there. Holes of varying size and raggedness dotted the fringes of the walls, floors, and ceilings, resembling the marks left behind by a caterpillar going to town on a leaf. The columns and walls were all sharp, angry angles and bladed, another feature that invoked uneasiness in Ruby. She continued to walk, however, her own youthful curiosity overriding any sense of foreboding that kept her away. As she crossed the balcony, a somewhat familiar sight danced across her vision – another one of those green flares. Considering how her last encounter with it had ended, Ruby let out a startled 'eep!' and dove behind a column. She waited a few moments for it to come chase her down like the one in the caves had, but nothing happened. After a few more seconds, the reaper cautiously poked her head out to look at the flare. The floating ball of sickly green and white light simply continued to bob in its place, jilting here and there to an unheard tempo or breeze. After it continued to do nothing besides float, Ruby slowly eased out from her hiding place and walked towards it. Figuring that she might be able to talk to _whatever_ she had encountered previously, Ruby decided to greet the weird spark.

"Uh... hello? Is anyone there?" She tried. The small flare did nothing in response to her words, but simply continued to float and bob in its somewhat hypnotic way. Ruby took a few more steps closer to it, but then the spark let out a deep ring, like a gong being struck from far away, and bolted down a corridor open just beyond where Ruby stood. Startled by the sudden motion, Ruby flinched. Once she noticed the flare was gone, however, she chased after it.

"Hey, wait!" She cried, dashing after the spark as she rounded the corner. When she did, she found herself in a long, dark corridor that stretched for several hundred feet. The ceiling was high and arched, and the walls were decorated with large stone statues. The statues grasped at the walls with great stone claws, no eyes recognizable on their alien visages as they bared sharp, pointed teeth in expressions of either savagery or pain. The statues rose to the ceiling, and offered little support as Ruby searched for the spark she had followed. Unfortunately, the little light was nowhere to be found.

"Great. Now I'm all alone again." Ruby muttered, and kicked at the ground in annoyance. Unfortunately, her foot came in contact with something hard, and Ruby started in surprise as she sent something rolling down the hall. When the object stopped rolling, Ruby got a good look at it – and winced a mixture of sympathy and apology. She had inadvertently kicked a human skull, and the thing sat broken further down the hall. The sight made her look around at the ground, and sure enough there were dozens of various bones scattered in the corners and long the bases of the walls, stacked like grotesque trophies. As a Huntress, warrior, and general fighter of baddies, the sight didn't fill her with terror so much as regret. The knowledge that every one of these corpses had once been a person weighed on her, but she knew that there was nothing she could do. Instead, Ruby set off on a running jog, hurrying further down the hallway in an attempt to find the spark, or at least find out more about the strange place she found herself in.

As she followed the hallway, the reaper had the unsettling feeling that she was being watched. Ruby glanced around as she ran, but nothing met her gaze as a thing or a person. She ran to the hallway's end and came to an open chasm, with what looked like marble stones crossing it in some form of bridge. Another balcony sat up higher than the one she stood on, connected to hers by the strange green stones. To either side, the chasm went on for as far as she could see, with several other ledges to far for her to leap to. Ruby looked at the dubious rocks that hung suspended in mid air as if by magic, then shrugged. If she could fly across space in some weird premonition dream thing, how hard would it be to accept floating rocks?

"If I'm dead or something, the afterlife is really disappointing." The girl said to no one in particular. With only a little hesitation, Ruby started jogging across the the rock bridge to the other side. The stones took her weight without shaking or giving any sign that she weighed anything, and she crossed three of them without incident. When she reached the fourth one, however, hanging in the middle, the one at the end suddenly dissolved in a flash of green light. Alarm shot through her as she tried to double back, but the first two rocks disappeared in a similar fashion.

"No no no..." Ruby said in despair as the bridge slowly dissolved away until the only remaining stone was the one she currently stood on. "Crap." The rock beneath her joined its brethren in nonexistence, and weightlessness took her once more.

"AAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAHHHHHHHHHHHHHH!" She cried as she fell into the bottomless abyss, cold air rushing up to accept her in an undead embrace. As she fell, the balcony above her flew farther and farther away, and no other source of light met her eyes as she descended to the depths of the temple. As she fell, a deep thrumming could be heard all around her, similar to what she had heard in the caves before her encounter with the weird spark thing. Ruby reached to her back to grab Crescent Rose and at least slow her fall, but her trustworthy weapon was absent from its usual resting place.

"What? Are you kidding me?" She cried incredulously. The air continued to rush past her as she fell, and Ruby resigned herself to her fate. Here she was, literally _millions_ of miles from home, and she was going to wind up a puddle of spattered Huntress all over the bottom of some weird space temple covered in bones and traitorous stone bridges. As she thought that, however, the glowing white aura she had felt during her flight returned, and she could feel her fall slowing. Ruby looked down at her hands in wonder as she glowed slightly, and her rapid descent petered off into a gentle glide. Ruby got her feet underneath her as she floated down, her faint glow showing an odd reflective surface beneath her. Ruby blinked when her boots gently touched down on a the floor, a soft _clack_ resounding into the darkness as she did. Ruby's persistent glow continued to faintly illuminate the area, allowing the girl to look around in wonder. She was at the bottom of the chasm, alright, which also seemed to be comprised of onyx or some other dark stone or metal. Ruby could faintly see her own warped reflection beneath her feet, a feeling that furthered her queasy gut earned by the rapid fall from on high.

Another gong from somewhere to Ruby's right snapped her head up, and another light entered the otherwise dark chasm. When Ruby looked up, she saw the same spark she had chased down the hallway in the first place, hanging above the floor as if it had been waiting for her. Without putting much thought into it, Ruby immediately set off after the burning light. It was approximately a hundred feet away by her guess, though the darkness made it difficult to judge distance. When she felt like she was twenty feet away from the burning green beacon, the small sphere lifted upward into the air slightly. Ruby's eyes followed it, and her jaw went slack and her eyes wide when the spark revealed something else in the dark.

The horned creature from her visions, three eyes burning orange in the darkness, stood nearly twenty feet tall next to the spark. The light given off by the small beacon was weak, but she could faintly make out dark, bat like wings and thick bone armor that crossed the being's chest and arms. Its very appearance scared Ruby down to her core, and it seemed to notice that she had seen it.

 **"You dare, witch."** It snarled, and the spark wavered at its words. A deep thud echoed from in front of Ruby, and she assumed that the towering monstrosity had taken a step towards her. **"How dare you come aboard my Dreadnought, unbidden and unwelcome like some lowly stowaway!"** Anger seethed from its words – Oryx's words, she realized – and a bitter cold rushed headlong in her direction from the decidedly evil being. Ruby remained silent as it took another step, fear locking her in place like a rabbit before the wolf. As Oryx took another thundering step closer, the spark let out another gong and dashed over her head in the other direction, this time much slower than before. As it did, a tendril of light leaped from Ruby's aura and struck the spark. The interdicting blow caused the strange spark to shake in midair and drop towards her, but it still flew. Ruby's fear evaporated at the sight, and she made a conscious decision: for some reason, she felt compelled to catch the spark. And Oryx seemed to realize it.

 **"NO! You will not take that which is mine!"** He bellowed. Ruby turned and ran.

The spark jerked this way and that as it flew, and Ruby's speed allowed her to catch up to it quickly. Her Semblance wouldn't respond, but her natural speed allowed the reaper to close the gap quickly. Unfortunately, her large enemy seemed to have taken flight, as the steady beat of strong wings echoed off the walls behind her. The meager light emitted from herself and the spark did little to show the encroaching foe, and she knew that if she saw him, it would already be too late. The thrill and dread brought on by the chase spurred Ruby onward even faster, and soon she was nearly an arm's length away from grasping the spark. Whatever her aura had done, it seemed to have prevented the spark from flying away as it had before. As she drew closer, Ruby's aura flared as if in anticipation, exposing more and more of the surrounding area. Ruby stretched an arm out to capture the spark, panting as she ran. Her fingertips brushed the center of the spark, and the feeling was metallic and faintly rounded, as if she were grasping a puzzle cube or-

Ruby's thoughts on the surface of the spark were interrupted by a savage growl in front of her, followed by Oryx's terrifying visage. The massive king landed in front of Ruby and the spark, a wicked blade of black bone in his hand. He swung it at head height, hoping to remove Ruby's thinker from her shoulders. Adjusting quickly from a lifetime of moving at supersonic speeds, Ruby ducked underneath the blade as well as the spark dove over it. The Huntress batted away the great wings like a set of giant, leathery drapes and kept running. She could almost feel Oryx's overpowering presence behind her as he let out an enraged howl, the beat of his wings drums in her ears. But she was so close, just a few more feet...

Throwing caution to the wind and all of her strength into her legs, Ruby launched herself forward in a flying grab. Her hand wrapped around the spark – not burning or cold, strangely enough – and her aura shined a blinding white. Ruby rolled as she landed and held the spark up high above her head like a torch. The light it gave off flared up in front of Oryx, causing the king to hiss in pain and shield his eyes. Ruby could hear reverberations in the air as Oryx said something, but the words never reached her as the surrounding area flared white, and she knew no more.

* * *

Horst slammed into the cliff wall hard, Chimera thankfully in his hand instead of across his shoulders. Had the blade broken his fall, he'd likely have suffered a sudden lack of lower body. Groaning in pain, the Titan slid down the rock face in a half controlled slump until he reached the bottom. Blake proved to be much better at combating their foe, her shadow clone providing a false target that the Deathstalker fell for every time. If its hisses of frustration were anything to go by, the Huntress was getting underneath its plates. Horst pulled himself to a standing position for the thousandth time that night, it felt like. His strategy of taking a hit to give a better one wasn't quite so valid when his enemy was forty times larger than himself.

"Weiss, I need an ice barrier!" He cried, and sprinted toward the fighting scorpion as it tried to skewer Blake with its stinger. A melodic bell like chime came from the trees beyond, and sure enough a wall of frozen might sprouted up underneath the Deathstalker, catching the arm of its right claw and several legs in its icy grasp. Horst chanced a look in the Schnee's direction, and saw the poor girl sag against a tree trunk in exhaustion. She was providing the support he had asked for, but Horst could see that the fight was draining her. If he pushed her any harder, she'd deplete her aura completely and be vulnerable to a permanent injury.

Not willing to throw away the opportunity Weiss had provided, Horst slid underneath the left claw as it snapped angrily, then unclasped the bomb from his right leg and slapped it into the joint of the Deathstalker's right claw. He held the casing there for a moment and channeled some Solar Light into his gauntlet, melting the casing slightly and searing it to his foe. A resounding screech from behind him told the world of how the Deathstalker felt about his actions, and a series of pops and cracks echoed from Weiss' ice wall as it renewed its efforts to get free. Horst stepped back from the joint and directly into the Deathstalker's face, slashing to and fro across the eyes with Chimera. The large scorpion moved its body too wildly for every strike to hit, but that wasn't the point. As he leaped back out of reach, three eyes had been injured and a mandible fell to the ground. Spurts of green ichor painted the ground, glowing slightly as the Deathstalker raged anew. This time it managed to free itself from its icy prison, shattering the spell into a thousand brittle pieces as it chased after the Guardian that had done it harm.

Horst ducked and dove away from snapping claws and a striking stinger, providing a distraction as Blake crept up from underneath the beast's left side. So focused was the Grimm on ending Horst, it failed to notice Blake until she had wrapped several lines of wire around the bottom and attach it to the thrashing left claw, just above the base of the joint. Once she knew that she had been spotted, Blake slashed at the front left leg and used her clone to rebound through the air, the stinger redirected from Horst to chase her away. Horst's attack on the beast's eyes had at least one effect: the Deathstalker's aim was worsening with the stinger. What had been a series of near misses or blocks now degenerated into wild flailing strikes as the scorpion's compromised vision threw off its ability to strike at its foes. That did not make it any less dangerous, however, even with the bombs planted.

"Blake, back off for a moment!" Horst hollered, and together the fighters withdrew from the enraged Grimm's reach and into the trees. With its rage and weakened sight, the scorpion dove blindly into the surrounding foliage, hacking and slashing and stabbing in an attempt to take vengeance on those that would dare harm it. As the Deathstalker thrashed around blindly, Horst and Blake reconnoitered at the tree Weiss was using for support. The Schnee heiress was panting heavily, and Horst and Blake were also taking deep breaths in an attempt to recuperate.

"We've planted the bombs," Blake gasped between greedy gulps of air. "Now what do we do?" Horst shook his head and cast a cautious glance backwards toward the Deathstalker, wary for a surprise attack while they were vulnerable.

"I was going to use my Hammer to ignite the charges, but so many hits have drained my Light. I'll need to build it back up before I can start tossing." Weiss looked up from her slump and offered a tired grin. She reached into the pouch she kept on her back and removed a small trigger, wincing as the movement exacerbated her bruises.

"The charges just need to be primed for this thing to work. If you can risk getting close again, we can blow its arms off without having to worry about taking more hits." Horst took the offered detonator, but shook his head in a negative.

"It's been everything we can do not to take a direct hit, even with two separate attackers. If we had another person with us, I could take a few swings at its legs and make this a lot easier." Horst perked up as the sound of rushing air came to him, and he barked an order. "Look out!" All three dove to the ground as a claw sheared through the tree Weiss had been leaning against. The slice took a chunk out of the tree and caused it to teeter dangerously in Weiss' direction. Blake recovered first and raced over to the downed heiress, slinging an arm over her shoulder and jumping to safety. Horst was a little slower on the recovery, and was batted away by the returning swipe from the claw. Horst flew through the air sideways in a crumpled ball, curling inward on himself to minimize the damage he sustained. Through luck alone, he rolled across the ground instead of wrapping his poor defenseless spine around one of Emerald Forest's many trees. Recognizing the opportunity, Horst timed his roll and extended his knees to stand, rolling three or four more times as he flipped and landed, Chimera in hand. As he stood, however, the spinning caught up to him and sent a wave of nausea through him. Ditching his helmet hurriedly, the Titan emptied his dinner all over the nearest patch of grass. The Titan retched two more times, then spit in disgust to clear the taste of vomit from his mouth before putting his helmet back on.

Now thoroughly uncomfortable, Horst spun in a few more circles to regain his bearings. More crashing and breaking trees echoed from his left, so Horst started running in that direction. Sure enough, the Deathstalker was tearing the forest apart in pursuit of one tricky cat. Blake flashed her clone and jumped in a surprising display of acrobatics and distraction, sending her clone along her path before changing directions unexpectedly. As she bounced from another branch, the Deathstalker followed her straight into Horst. Not wanting to miss the opportunity, Horst dove to the side and offered a parting slash at the arachnid's jointed front left leg. A shallow cut opened in the leg, not enough to sever the limb but far more than what was required to hurt the Deathstalker. The immense Grimm shrieked in response and turned as quickly as its new injury would allow, snapping at Horst's heels with all the fury of Hell. The Guardian jumped, dove, and slid underneath claws and past that infernal stinger as he attempted to lose the Deathstalker in the trees. Unlike the previous times, however, even withering fire from Gambol Shroud did nothing to distract the Deathstalker from its prey. Its burning ethereal green eyes were dead set on Horst's retreating back, and the Titan knew a different plan of action was necessary.

As she watched their professor dodge, duck, dive, dip, and dodge everything he could and block the things he couldn't, Weiss looked up in surprise as her scroll of all things started buzzing. Drawing the device from her pouch, she raised an irritated eyebrow to see Yang's grinning face above her name, offering a thumbs up to the camera. _When did she take my scroll and do that?_ Weiss idly wondered as she thumbed the call button, bringing the device to her ear. Yang's confident voice came from the ear piece.

 _"Hey there, Ice Queen. Still having trouble with tall, dark, and eight legged?"_ Yang asked in a tone that told Weiss the blonde was wearing one of her smirks. The heiress fumed at the words.

"Of course we are you blonde bimbo! Professor Horst and Blake are doing everything they can not to get stabbed to death, or crushed, or chopped in half!" She shrieked. Yang clicked her tongue on the other side of the phone, doing very little to help Weiss' mood.

 _"Now now, Weiss. That wasn't very nice. Now before you go and bust, did you use burn Dust?"_ The rhyming would have been corny any other time, but while she was watching Horst nearly lose his family jewels to a lucky strike from the stinger, the the only thing Weiss felt was incredulity at Yang's timing.

"Yes, the bombs are loaded with burn. It's the most volatile! I thought you were paying attention."

 _"I was. I'm just making sure. Now that I know, this won't hurt a bit. Well, it won't hurt me anyway. Look up here!"_ Weiss closed the scroll and looked up towards the cliff, where she could barely make out a blonde figure standing up at the top. She was roughly fifty yards out from where the fight was going on, but it was clear Yang wanted to drop down on the Deathstalker from on high. Putting that together, Weiss cupped her hands to her mouth as Blake flew by.

"Yang's at the top of the cliff! She can detonate the bombs if we can get it to stand still!" She yelled. Blake paused in her maneuvering and nodded in her direction, and Weiss could hear her yelling to Horst. The heiress stood up shakily, Myrtenaster meeting her grasp once more as she shuffled unsteadily toward the cliff. Whatever else they were planning, they would probably need a glyph or two.

Horst saw Yang waving from up on the cliff as well, and used his status as enemy number one to draw the enraged Deathstalker toward the cliff. He ran with Chimera dragging the ground behind him, the Deathstalker following his trail with reckless abandon as it sought his end. When he reached the cliff wall, the Titan turned and planted his feet, Chimera held in a two handed grip in front of him. Unfazed by his stance, the Deathstalker charged him with all of its strength. Just before the large Grimm impacted with him, Horst switched to a guard, a purple shield of light separating Guardian from gnashing pincers and striking stinger. The stinger struck three more times, snapping through the air like a whip. The strength required to keep the Deathstalker at bay drained Horst's reserves, but he had to persevere. Not willing to wait longer than necessary, Horst looked up toward the top of the cliff as he strained against the immense Grimm.

"Yang! NOW!" Horst bellowed, his light barrier already cracking slightly as the Deathstalker continued to hammer against his defenses with all of its considerable might. Horst roared in defiance back at the beast and pushed his Light into the barrier, maintaining the stalemate for as long as he could. Just before he felt the barrier give out, Horst looked up to see what was taking so long.

What he saw was nearly poetry in motion. He watched as time seemed to slow to a crawl as Yang fell from on high, eyes crimson with the strength of her Semblance and her golden hair alight with flame burning in the night sky. Ember Celica was raised in a pose Horst had done many times himself: both fists above her head as she came down on the Deathstalker with all the force of a falling star. Horst's flagging strength redoubled as her aura approached, and his barrier strengthened just as Yang made contact.

The impact of a girl with super strength falling down from on high was enough to force the titanic scorpion into the ground and then some. But when her gauntlets discharged upon touchdown, the combined heat of Yang's Semblance and her burn rounds detonated the bombs at the Deathstalker's joints. The resulting explosion shattered the Ward that Horst had erected, but the Light infused fire did little to harm him. The force of the explosion, however, drove him into the cliff like a man shaped drill. Dust and shrapnel blew up in all directions, sending Blake and Weiss rolling from the force. A shrill screech echoed from the impact crater that was still obscured by a thick cloud of dust. Muffled thumps and foot falls could be heard from behind the curtain of dust, before a meaty _THWACK_ echoed through the woods and Yang was send flying through the woods, rolling head over heels from a powerful blows. Blake and Weiss found their feet together, though Weiss still needed assistance standing.

The dust finally dissipated, revealing a crippled Deathstalker. The immense beast had broken its front legs, and the middle ones were mangled beyond standing. Its claws had been blown off completely, with torn stumps glowing green with blood the only evidence that it had ever possessed claws. The Deathstalker's eyes had been butchered as well, with only two or three glowing green orbs instead of the original sixteen still functional. It was clear that the large beast was on its last legs, so to speak.

From the veritable cave he had created with his body, Horst stumbled forward onto all fours, his helmet knocked clear from the blast. When he'd puked after his spinning tumble from Hell, he'd forgotten to seal the helmet completely. Considering that keeping it attached would have likely resulted in his decapitation, it was fortunate that he had overlooked that particular safety. The rest of his armor had suffered as well, however. His Ruin Wings were dented and bent out of shape, and his chest piece had been sheared away during the blast. Black soot covered the Titan in dark splotches, and his under suit had been torn in several places, revealing scrapes and abrasions to the night air. Chimera sat next to him, stained black but otherwise as perfect as the day it had been forged.

Horst looked up, his mismatched eyes settled on the still struggling foe as it lashing its tail about helplessly. The Grimm still had some fight in it, but it was clear that this battle would be its last. His strength returning somewhat at the prospect of a final blow, Horst scooped up his blade, ignoring the aches in his limbs and the blood of his wounds. As the Deathstalker continued to flail about helplessly, Horst jumped up in the air – narrowly missing the stinger as it flew through the air – and slammed Chimera tip first into the Deathstalker's back, stabbing deep into its abdomen. Instead of the usual shrieks of indignation and pain, a failing hiss was all that came from the huge arachnid. Its tail whipped through the air a few more times, before the beast's strength left it completely and it collapsed. The rest of the Deathstalker's weight hitting the ground sent a muffled _BOOM_ through the ground, sending birds flying from trees miles away. Blake and Weiss stumbled at the impact, and Yang had barely managed to regain her feet when she fell to her butt yet again. Horst slumped against the flat of Chimera as the telltale hiss of disintegration filled the air, the immense Grim fading into a million grains of black sand as it died. The green fire died from its eyes, but did not leave completely. As the body cleared from beneath him, Horst fell flat on his back and Chimera clattered to the ground. The head and tail faded way last, spreading outward from Chimera's final stab wound.

Just as the head broke down completely, a small green ball the size of a baseball blinked into existence and rose into the air. Horst watched the orb tiredly as it drifted upward, following the cliff up into the air. The Titan assumed that the magic would return to its master, as it had attempted to in the tunnels. Even as he watched, the green dot climbed higher and higher into the air until-

A pale hand darted out from the top of the cliff and snatched the little green light from the air. Horst raised an eyebrow at that, and winced at the grin that spread across his face when Ruby Rose stepped to the edge of the cliff, green light spewing from her fingers as she held up her prize. Ruby looked back down at the light as it slowly faded, and her own aura flared in the corrupted magic's absence. Her handed glowed the brightest around the small light, until the sickly green illumination was replaced with her own pure light. When the Light eventually cleared, no one was prepared for what was revealed.

A Ghost, pink with three crimson stripes crossing it horizontally, sat in Ruby's hand. And to her great surprise, its eye blinked with light momentarily, before it hummed to life and floated above her hand, examining its surroundings for the first time in who knows how long. When it had taken in enough of its surroundings, the Ghost turned and faced Ruby.

"Hello." Its voice was feminine, a cheerful yet motherly tone that brought warmth to Ruby's heart as she heard it.

"Uh...Hi." Ruby said awkwardly. "Who are you?" Considering she had already met Switch, Ruby felt that the Ghost deserved a 'who', and not a 'what'. The Light construct spun her facets as she pondered the question, before looking at Ruby in something akin to a forlorn look.

"I'm not really sure, to be honest." The Ghost answered truthfully, looking down in shame. "I don't really remember anything besides the Darkness."

As the girl and Ghost continued to talk, Horst looked up at the spectacle in amazement. A Ghost, creations of the Traveler always lost and never found again, had been reclaimed by the Darkness. And if Horst was right, it had chosen Ruby as its Guardian. Two unprecedented events in as many seconds, and something that the Speaker would have killed to see.

"Huh. How about that." Horst managed to utter, and then slumped backward into blissful unconsciousness.


	8. Chapter 8

So...the landscape of Emerald Forest has changed slightly. Oh, and what has been considered an impossibility by Guardians for thousands of years came about because Ruby can't refrain from touching shiny objects. _On Your Knees_ by **Jeff Williams.**

* * *

 **Chapter 8**

When Yang had brought Ruby back to Beacon, they hadn't made it entirely to Ozpin's office before Ruby had woken up. When she had finally regained consciousness, both sisters returned to the cliff as quickly as they could to assist their teammates. In their rush, Yang didn't notice that Ruby seemed to be flaring her aura, or at least that was the only believable explanation for the faint white outline that followed the redhead everywhere she went. When Ruby had caught the corrupted Ghost, converted into a flare by Oryx's twisted magic, her Light had flowed into the construct and liberated it from Oryx's control. Ruby had defied the Taken King and reclaimed a vital piece of the Traveler, and became a Guardian in the process.

At least, that was the hypothesis she tossed around in her head as they sat in the infirmary, four chairs surrounding the largest bed they had to accommodate Horst's large body. Ruby and Switch had taken on the daunting task of informing the rest of the team – as well as her own amnesiac Ghost – on Horst's true origins and the war that had gone on for millennium. Blake had not been surprised, and revealed that she had eavesdropped on Ruby and Horst's conversation several nights prior. Weiss and Yang, however, were incredibly surprised. And on Yang's part, a little angry too.

"You're telling me my sister has been turned into some crazy space Light zombie or something?" She whispered harshly, their medical room separated from the hallway outside by a thin wall.

"That's...one way to put it." Switch said sheepishly, floating next to Ruby's unnamed Ghost. "The gist of it is, she's been imbued with the same powers that Remnant's first inhabitants wielded. Ruby has access to abilities that your ancestors used before the Light faded from this place, before Dust and people's auras came to be." Switch looked at the red Ghost next to him, a blue wave of light flashing across her quickly as he scanned her. The newly reclaimed Ghost winced as well as a Ghost could, flinching away slightly with a half lidded eye.

"So, what about her?" Weiss asked, inclining her head in the direction of Ruby's Ghost. Both Ghosts floated in between Ruby's chair and Horst's bed, the red one she had revived clinging closely to the newly minted Guardian. Switch continued his examination for a moment further, then focused his single eye on Weiss.

"I don't have access to the Speakers extensive records, but from what I can gather on this Oryx guy, he was responsible for a lot of a lot of casualties during the Collapse. He's one of the Hive Gods, though the term God is just referred to as immensely powerful. I mean after all," Switch's tone became haughty as he motioned toward Horst. "We DID kill one. And from I can gather, many Guardians fell to the Hive. It's possible that she is the Ghost of a fallen Guardian, or maybe she was captured. In either case, she was not the first spark we saw, and that suggests we can free more. We can create more Guardians!" As Switch said this last part, his excitement was palpable to all involved. The mentioned Ghost hovered closer to Ruby, a little overwhelmed by all the attention she was receiving. Switch seemed to notice this, and floated closer to the shy Ghost and whispered a few words to her. The Ghost nodded, and vanished in a flash of Light. As she did so, Ruby sat up a little straighter in her chair, not expecting taking on a passenger as the Ghost made her home in Ruby's head. Or at least, the Light storage equivalent of her head. The physics of Ghost were still a little fuzzy to her, but she knew that she could hear the new Ghost's voice in her head.

 _"Sorry about that. I'm still trying to remember who I am, and all of your friends are a little...hostile right now."_ The Ghost apologized. Ruby couldn't really think of a way to speak back – apparently her new friend couldn't read thoughts – so she just nodded in acceptance. Seeing the odd behavior in her sister, Yang perked up at the nod and sent Ruby a worried look.

"What happened, Ruby? Are you okay?" She asked, placing a hand on the back of her chair as if to stand up. Ruby held out a placating hand.

"No no no, everything's fine. Apparently, she was getting scared of all the attention." Ruby rubbed her head sheepishly. "I just wasn't expecting to get a voice in my head." Yang didn't stand, but her worried expression never left her face. Yes, this was going to take some getting used to.

"Switch, why did you and the professor keep this away from us? You're not here to invade the planet, and you say you're here to help us." Blade questioned. "Why the secrecy?" Switch glanced toward the door before responding, not wanting to draw more attention by mentioning names.

"Well, you aren't exactly without a few secrets yourself, Blake." The Faunus girl frowned at the deflection. "That, and let's just say there's a certain general that would not take kindly to aliens wandering around in the country he's been taking over – I mean, protecting." Switch looked at the gathered Huntresses as they blanched in surprise. Ironwood, taking over Vale? "Oh come on, girls. Don't tell me you haven't noticed the soldiers and battle mechs roaming around the city. Heck, the only reason that they aren't all over the school is because Ozpin is as tough as he is old." Switch set his gaze on Blake. "Ironwood is up to something, and I don't know if it's in the best interests of Vale. Because of all these questionable parties – the White Fang, Ironwood, Torchwick – Horst and I have decided to hold off on contacting the rest of the Guardians about Remnant until after the Vytal Festival. That should give us enough time to handle anyone attempting to sabotage an alliance between Earth and Remnant."

Weiss frowned and let her gaze fall to the floor as the Ghost said this. Somehow, she felt that the Schnee Dust Company fell under the 'questionable parties' list as well, a stipulation that she wasn't entirely sure that she disagreed with. The more they encountered the White Fang, the more SDC tech and Dust they found, as well as those Atlesian Paladins the White Fang had managed to steal. Random weapon shipments and some Dust here and there were one thing, but it seemed as though the White Fang were less stealing their resources, and more like they were being supplied. It was something she and Blake had yet to discuss, but the conversation was definitely up and coming.

Ruby let the others interrogate Switch about Earth and the Guardians, only paying some attention as her own Ghost settled in to her new...home? It was a confusing concept. The red Ghost could be heard tittering and beeping in the back of her mind, like she was picking up something just at the edge of her hearing. Before long, the tinkering fell silent, and the unnamed Ghost spoke again.

 _"I'm sorry about all this. I would be a bit more social, but I can't seem to remember anything."_ Ruby shrugged at the apology. _"If I can't remember who I was...what can I do?"_ Ruby scrunched her eyes up, not fond of having a conversation as a mute. A memory came to her, however, of when she first met Switch in the cave and how Horst had simply held out his hand and the Ghost had appeared. The discussion had remained on Switch and Horst's history, and Ruby quickly excused herself, lying about having to use the restroom as she quietly slipped out the door. Yang watched her go with a worried expression, and the brawler looked to Blake for support. The Faunus cocked a brow.

"What, do you think grilling our teacher's friend over details like you have been is comfortable for Ruby? This whole time, you've been asking questions that may alienate her from the rest of the team." Blake pointed to her own bow for emphasis. "If you had pestered me about my time in the White Fang, I never would have come back to the team. You're making her nervous." Yang looked crestfallen, but Blake raised a fair point. She had been interrogating Switch about what happens to Guardians, and their relationships with their Ghosts, and it had clearly made the normally exuberant Ruby quietly leave the room. Yang felt guilty for sending her sister out, but she couldn't help it. Not only had she just learned that Horst was a freaking alien, but apparently Ruby had been dragged into whatever galactic war he was apart of!

"I know it seems harsh, but I can't let her step into this role without hearing what it's all about." Yang said worriedly. "The Hive, the Fallen, all these weird aliens bent on destroying humanity..." Switch flew directly in front of the blonde, cutting her off as he focused his eye on her.

"All of these aliens existed before you ever knew about them. They were killing us before you were born, and learning about them isn't going to suddenly bring them here." Switch rotated his facets gently. "We stopped the corrupted Ghost from returning to Oryx, but he maintained a link to us for the duration of the fight. Right now, I think we have to assume all possibilities."

While the others bickered and discussed the possibility of a Hive invasion, Ruby quickly crossed the hall and walked down another corridor, where the men and women's toilets were located. Ruby walked up to the nearest door and looked around quickly, before entering the restroom and locking the door behind her. The bathroom was roughly eight feet by ten, with a toilet, a mirror, and a sink for furnishings. It was clearly meant for one person to use per visit, and would guarantee some measure of privacy. Once she was satisfied that no one was going to come barging in, Ruby took a deep breath and concentrated, holding her hand up as she had seen Horst do in the cave. She held the pose for a moment, waiting anxiously for her new friend to appear. As the seconds ticked by, Ruby realized how foolish she must have looked: a scared little girl, staring at her own hand like it was going to detach from her wrist.

"Come on, I've got to get this right." She whispered with a determined frown. Trying a different tactic, Ruby focused her aura – no, she corrected herself, her Light – and thought of her new Ghost. To her surprise, a shimmer appeared above her hand like fireworks falling to the ground after an explosion, and suddenly the Ghost appeared in her hand. Her crimson companion looked around in surprise, then looked back up at Ruby with her single eye. Ruby couldn't stop the swell of excitement that tried to burst from her chest.

"Well, that's how that works then, I suppose." Her Ghost said sheepishly, her smooth voice still a novelty to Ruby as the Ghost lifted away from Ruby's hand slightly, and Ruby let it drop.

"Sorry about everything in there. Yang means well, but she's scared for me. She's my big sister, and finding out about a war that I may have to fight is making her kinda protective." Ruby apologized. "You mentioned that you lost your memory. Did talking to Switch help you get it back?"

"No." The Ghost said sadly. "All I can remember is the Darkness, that crushing hopelessness like I was wrapped in a bone cage. I don't remember anything from my previous life." The Ghost tilted slightly, as if she were cocking her head. "Switch mentioned that many Guardians become new people when they are first resurrected. Maybe this is the same thing for me. Maybe, I'm not back, but I'm all new." The Ghost started out hopeful, but Ruby detected the slight disappointment in the Ghost's voice. The redhead sympathized with her new companion; the thought of losing all that she was seemed almost impossible to grasp, but the idea of it ate at Ruby. The fact that her new friend had gone through it made the normally perky leader of RWBY solemn.

"Well, if you can't remember anything from before, then I guess all you can do is move forward then." Ruby said with a grin. The Ghost looked up at her in surprise, the red facets rotating rapidly as she processed Ruby's statement.

"What do you mean?" The Ghost asked hesitantly. Ruby scrunched up her nose in a thoughtful look.

"Do you know how to do all the Ghost things Switch can do?" Ruby asked. Her Ghost rolled her eye at that, almost insulted at the question.

"Of course I can. Switch passed on to me all the standard functions of a Ghost. I need a bit of practice on converting scans, but other than that I can do anything he can." Was that a competitive edge in her voice, or just Ruby's imagination?

"Great!" Ruby said with a smile. "Now, all we have to do is come up with a name for you." Her Ghost zoomed around her quickly, flying and thinking at the same time. The action made Ruby spin around the small bathroom, disorienting her slightly before the Ghost stopped at the door.

"I can't really think of a name, nothing I'd like to hear." The Ghost shook herself. "With just the basic knowledge of what a Ghost can do, I'm not really coming up with anything." Ruby scrunched her nose again and thought about it.

"Well, let's see. You watch over me, you can transmat things from place to place, and apparently if I die you can bring me back. According to the professor, you can scan things and tell more about them." Ruby counted the abilities off on her fingers. "You're always really nice, and you're red. How about Rose?" The Ghost tilted slightly as she considered the name, but shook herself in the negative.

"That sounds nice, but it would be weird if I had your last name as my name. Rose and Rose, it might be a little confusing for anyone talking about us." Ruby accepted the refusal, and tried thinking of another one. As she did, she idly fiddled with Crescent Rose, a trait her father said that she shared with...

There was one name that came to mind. Ghosts protected their Guardians, guided them and helped them on their journeys. The more Ruby thought about it, the more it fit together. And somehow, she knew that her mother would be proud of it.

"How about Summer?" She asked, trying to hide the apprehension in her voice. Her Ghost spun her facets in opposite directions, looking like a little buzz saw as she thought it over. Unbeknownst to Ruby, her companion was connecting to the CCT to research the significance of the name, and why Ruby seemed so attached to it despite her efforts to hide the name's effect. In the few seconds that it took to think over the name, the Ghost discovered that Summer was the name of Ruby's mother: a woman well known for her gentle nature, supportive parenting, and had gone out on a mission...never to return. The way Ruby had described the roles of a Ghost: the guidance, the protection, and especially the revival; it was clear that Ruby was thinking of her mother when she thought of the name. And to be honest, it wasn't a bad name at all.

"I think that will work perfectly." She said cheerily, spinning in the air. Ruby grinned widely at this as well, and hopped up and down a few times for emphasis.

"Awesome! Ruby and Summer, the unstoppable duo!" Ruby crowed. The two might have celebrated more, but the door to the bathroom suddenly opened, despite it being locked when Ruby first came in. The two jumped away from the slowly opening door, until Professor Ozpin was revealed, a steaming mug in one hand and a smirk on his face.

"My my, Ms. Rose. You certainly seem to make an example of yourself." He said teasingly. Ruby stiffened at the Headmaster's presence, but Summer did nothing to hide from the old man. Ozpin peered over his glasses at the floating Ghost, and she withstood his scrutiny without shirking from his gaze. Ozpin remained quiet for a few moments, then offered an impressed 'hmm' and sipped his tea. He then turned his attention to Ruby.

"Your professor is awake, and your teammates are worried about you. I reassured them that the Guardians are our allies, and that everything will be explained after the school dance." He glanced at the bathroom door, then offered another amused look. "I hope I do not have to explain to your teammates why their leader was hiding in the men's room." Ruby started as he said that, and her eyes darted to the door. Sure enough, a stick figure man was posted on both sides of the wooden door. Evidently, she'd been so preoccupied with helping Summer that she hadn't been paying attention. The redhead rubbed her head sheepishly and laughed.

"Yeah, that would be...uh...that would be awkward." Ruby looked up at Summer, and suddenly realized that she hadn't introduced her. "Oh, sorry Professor! This is Summer, my Ghost. Summer, this is Professor Ozpin. He's the Headmaster here at Beacon." Ruby said, and the two nodded to each other in respect. Summer's facets rotated slightly as she looked at the old man.

"It's a pleasure to meet you, Professor." Summer said politely. Ozpin sipped his tea and nodded again.

"And the same to you, Summer. I must say, you carry quite a name to live up to. Though, from my experience with Switch, I am sure you are more than up to the task." It was subtle praise, but Summer picked up on it immediately. Her connection to the CCT had also revealed Summer's mission records, as well as a heavily redacted report about her death. Whether Ozpin meant the meaning to Ruby or the impressive things her namesake had done, Summer wasn't sure. The praise was welcome though.

"I won't delay you any longer. Let's return Professor Horst's room. I have something to discuss with all of you." Ozpin said, and stepped away from the door. Ruby and Summer shared a look, before the crimson Ghost disappeared from view. Together, Ozpin and Ruby walked slowly back to the room, silent except for the faint clicking of Ozpin's cane on the marble floor. The infirmary was located in the same building as the mess hall, one floor above. Of course, because Beacon was a combat school, the infirmary had two large floors dedicated to medical care. The less critical cases, like Horst, were kept on the upper floor. As such, the windows were just wide enough for a Ghost or a very small student to crawl out of if opened. In this case, the two opened the door to see Horst throwing Switch out said window.

"I spent eight hours in pain because you didn't tell them I could be resurrected, you floating asshole!" Horst yelled angrily, chucking the Ghost outside for the third time. Switch flew roughly thirty feet into the open air, falling just out of sight before he returned to sit in front of the window, out of reach from the irate Titan.

"To be perfectly honest, convincing a bunch of students to kill their injured mentor is just a tad bit above my persuasive abilities." Switch said honestly, dodging a chocolate candy from a package Goodwitch of all people had dropped off for the injured Guardian. Ruby and Horst watched the dysfunctional pair go back and forth for a moment, before the Headmaster cleared his throat loudly. When he heard the sound, Horst turned toward the door. His armor had been removed and was being repaired by Switch, and his shirt from the under suit had been removed as well and replaced with bandages. Angry purple bruises radiated from his right ribs, and there were several bandages wrapped around his hands and arms. His bared torso and shoulders were covered with old scars, pale white slashes and crosses that crawled over toughened dark skin. The Deathstalker had clearly done a number on the Titan, damage that would have been made irrelevant if he had died and been resurrected. It was an odd notion, that resting in the hospital was the worse option to dying. According to Switch, once an injury was healed through normal means on a Guardian it became a permanent part of them. Just another scar received in the long march to the inevitable. The concept sent a mixture of emotions through Ruby, some of which she would worry about later. Right now, a large man was hurling insults at a little Light machine for keeping him alive. Weird.

"As interesting as this has been, perhaps a bit more discretion is warranted, Titan Horst." Ozpin suggested evenly, casting a glance in both directions. "I can understand the frustration of having to heal like the rest of us mortals, but shouting about it to the heavens may cause us more problems than it solves." Horst cast a withering glare toward the Headmaster, but in the end conceded his point and let his massive shoulders slump. The Guardian walked back over to the bed and sat down, refused to cross his arms both to avoid the pain it would cause and to avoid looking like a petulant child. The large man winced slightly as his ribs flared up in pain. Clearly, his Light was having an issue healing the wound. Whether it was because of the Hive magic that had amplified the Grimm that had attacked him, or the force of the impact from Yang's explosion, no one could say.

"Apologies, Headmaster. I was just... _irritated_ that I'm taking this long to get back on my feet." Horst said, a glare directed at Switch as the Ghost floated innocently to his bedside. Innocently, and just out of reach. Ozpin accepted the apology and turned towards the assembled Huntresses, all but Ruby crammed into a corner to avoid the raging Horst. Upon seeing her sister at the Headmaster's side, Yang detached from attempting to hide behind Blake's ears and jumped onto the poor girl., wrapping her up in a bone crushing hug. Ruby wheezed in response as she was hauled into the air, her arms pinned by her stronger sister as the blonde spun her around in a hug.

"Yang...choking, not breathing..." The young team leader managed to croak out, and Yang gave one last squeeze before dropping Ruby to her feet, the little redhead somewhat unsteady after her close brush with asphyxiation. I mean, she had just become nearly immortal, but still...

"I'm sorry, sis." Yang apologized, her lilac eyes creased with worry. "I didn't mean to make you uncomfortable with all those questions earlier, but I had to know. These Guardians, this war... it's scary to think my little sis might get dragged into something like that." Ruby blinked at Yang's words, not fully realizing why the blonde was apologizing. When the point finally clicked in her head, Ruby covered her mouth and grinned.

"Yang, you goof. You didn't chase me out of the room. I just wanted to learn how to do this." Ruby removed her hand from her face and held it out in front of her, channeling her Light as she had in the restroom. Just as before, Summer appeared above her hand, a rain of bright white cubes announcing her arrival. Yang stepped back slightly and bent down to look at the Ghost, her eyes wide with wonder as she examined the little Light construct closely.

"Hello." Summer said cheerily. Earlier, she had remained mute around Ruby's teammates, only talking to Switch and Ruby in hushed tones as she had hovered close to Ruby at all times. Now that she had embraced her new identity, no longer bogged down by the crisis of remembering her previous life. To Yang's credit, she took encountering the second alien Light construct she had met over the course of the last twelve hours relatively well.

"Uh, hey there. I'm Yang, Ruby's sister. It's nice to meet you." The brawler said, grinning awkwardly as the Ghost looked at her.

"Hello Yang. Ruby told me a bit about you. Well, she's told me something about everyone." Summer looked up at Ruby. "Should I..." Ruby shook her head and held the little Ghost up higher, turning her attention to everyone in the room. Except for Ozpin, because that old bat knew everything already.

"Everyone, this is Summer. She's my Ghost." Ruby said proudly, holding the mentioned Ghost up for all to see. Yang's eyes immediately widened at the Ghost's name, but it was something that Weiss didn't pick up on. Blake had picked up on the significance of the name from her conversations with Yang, but the exact weight of Summer's name was entirely grasped by the Faunus. Horst and Switch looked on, Horst grinning slightly despite his injuries, and Switch not doing anything because he didn't have a face.

"Sis...are you sure you want to name her that?" Yang asked cautiously. Her step mother had been a kind and gentle soul, someone Yang had looked up to as both a mother and a role model. After Summer Rose's death, it had fallen to Yang to be the mother figure in Ruby's life. Naming something that would follow Ruby around, guide and protect her as Summer had once done was a perfectly good reason for the name, but Yang didn't want it to cause any issues later on.

"It's a wonderful name, Yang. I picked it, and Summer loves it. So that's her name." Ruby's determined statement was almost childish, but it caused a smile to break out on Yang's face. It reminded her of an argument they had fought when their father had first brought their dog, Zwei, home. If Ruby was comfortable with her Ghost bearing her mother's name, Yang wasn't going to stop her.

"It is a good name." The Ghost said helpfully, her warm tone reminding Yang of her lost step mother even now. "And I know how much it means to Ruby, so I will try to earn it." Her humility was nothing like Switch's sardonic comments, though that was likely a product of personality. Blake and Weiss walked over a little closer to Ruby, both of them staring at the crimson Ghost in wonder.

"Hello, Summer. I am Weiss Schnee. It's a pleasure to meet you." Weiss said, bowing slightly to the floating construct. Which was weird, considering that Weiss came from a family that considered Faunus, people that looked almost exactly like humans, as animals not worth of respect. Blake just nodded respectfully.

"And I'm Blake. It's nice to meet you." Summer looked between the assembled team RWBY, focusing on each team member for a few seconds at a time. After she had memorized their profiles and faces, the Ghost turned back toward the two.

"It's a pleasure to meet you both as well. Ruby has had nothing but good things to say about you two. I look forward to working with you in the future." Summer cut her eye toward Switch. "And I'm not as difficult to deal with as he is."

"I heard that." The black Ghost said in a deadpan tone from the background, earning a smack from his Guardian. The team had all spent some time speaking with Switch since the previous night, and they all agreed that he could be a bit of an ass. His sarcastic remarks were even more caustic in his arguments with Horst, a spectacle in itself as the usually calm and collected professor hurled insults at his Ghost like a Vacuan sailor. The kind and gentle demeanor that Summer exuded when she spoke – again, a trait shared by her namesake – had the girls looking forward to further conversation. With Switch, not so much.

"As entertaining it may be to watch this little meet and greet, I'm afraid we have more dire things to discuss." Ozpin said, reminding team RWBY that he was in fact in the room. "Besides the fact that there is a gaping hole where one of our hills used to be, I am worried about this Taken King that Switch has been talking about. If he is going to be a threat to Remnant, to Vale, we may need to move up our timetable." His gaze fell on Horst with the last statement, and the Titan grimaced at the prospect. Remnant wasn't yet ready to be introduced into Earth's struggle, not with the White Fang running around doing their 'equal rights by violence' spiel. The logistics of moving Huntsmen and Huntresses from Remnant to the Sol System was a hurtle in itself, but if Oryx was on to them, some help was better than none.

"I'm afraid that the Headmaster has a point." Horst said wearily, his voice low to avoid expanding his diaphragm and aggravating his injuries. The Titan sat up in his bed slightly, opting for a more comfortable position. "But I feel like we should clue in everyone on what we know from back home." Switch flew forward to the center of the room.

"A long time ago, in a solar system far, far away, the Traveler came to Earth and ushered in a Golden Age. Humanity was granted knowledge that catapulted their culture and technology forward thousands of years in the course of a few months. The very scope of possibility shifted, and humanity spread out among the stars. We colonized hundreds, thousands of planets. Death was an inconvenience, success a guarantee. In that time, your ancestors came to Remnant and populated it. The Traveler was considered the greatest thing to ever happen to humanity. But like all good things, this Golden Age could not last." Switch exchanged glances with Horst, and the injured Titan took over.

"A being of such power and knowledge as the Traveler simply cannot exist without enemies. The same way our people found power and inspiration from the Traveler, other forces discovered a far more sinister creature: simply known as the Darkness. Whether it is considered the whole of its constituents, or if it is a single entity, no one is alive to tell. In either case, the forces of the Darkness descended upon us like locusts, their numbers and depravity destroying our military on a galactic scale. A devastating war of attrition was fought for many years, though few are still alive that can recall it. In the end, we were exterminated, driven from every planet, until even Earth fell to these beasts. And then, the Traveler sacrificed itself." A rare tone of emotion crept into Horst's voice as he said this. "Our savior, the very thing that we had fought tooth and nail to protect for so many years, gave its life and drove the Darkness back. After that day, it never moved again."

"The day the Traveler died, Ghosts were born from its will and the ambient Light." Switch added. "We scoured the battlefields of the great war, and brought to life the greatest warriors of the Golden Age. Together, we created the Guardians. Men and women gifted with incredible power, and one ability which has delayed the extinction of the human race." The students were all focused on the Ghost, giving the small construct their entire attention. "Except in areas overcome with the power of the Darkness, a Guardian can never remain dead."

Team RWBY - their leader included, for Ruby had never been clued in to that particular Guardian trait – were all taken aback by this revelation. Ozpin's expression hardened for a moment as the girls digested this information, and placed a hand on Ruby's shoulder as she unconsciously took a step back. Yang, however, was the first to speak.

"What do you mean, they can't stay dead? Do they heal all wounds or something?" The blonde asked with a nervous chuckle, half expecting it to be a poorly worded joke.

"Oh, they are perfectly capable of dying." Horst said gruffly. "I have died many, _many_ times. The first few deaths, I was afraid, slowly bleeding to death from a gut wound or the instant oblivion of having my head removed. But every time, as the dark surrounded me, Switch would resurrect me in a sea of Light. I have since considered Death, the old man that stalks the corner of every warrior, to be an old friend at the best of times and a nuisance at the worst." Horst stared straight into Ruby's eyes, his mismatched orbs locked onto her own silver ones. "A Guardian must be able to weather the storm this concept wages on their mind. Quite a few newly forged Guardians have lost their minds, begged for death to keep them and save them from the endless struggle to defeat the Darkness." Horst coughed into his hand as he said this, wincing at the pain brought on by this action. Thoroughly done talking, he laid back into his bed and let out a tired sigh. Switch offered a sympathetic glance toward his partner, then continued the narrative.

"The reason becoming a Guardian is such an honor is not because of the cause. You can fight evil all day and night, but the true meaning of a Guardian is this: endless sacrifice. It is one thing to enter a fight knowing you might die. It is another entirely to accept that even death won't stop you." Switch focused on Ruby, standing at Ozpin's side. "That is why Summer chose you, Ruby. Because she believed that you could save her from her torment, and that you had the constitution to withstand this burden. The Guardians would definitely benefit from your help." Ruby blushed at the praise, grinning nervously as the others in the room looked at her. Yang was positively beaming with pride, and Blake offered a quiet smile of encouragement as well. Even Weiss, the well known Ice Queen, offered a supportive smirk, the kind of arrogant grin when you know that you can handle anything. The support from her teammates, as well as Switch, flustered the normally shy and awkward girl.

"Well, thank you I guess. I mean, I'll try to live up to that." Ruby said nervously. "So, I guess I'm a Guardian now?" Horst shook his head slightly, not wanting to aggravate his wounds.

"While pairing with a Ghost makes you a Guardian, you will need to be trained to wield your Light to its fullest extent. There are several doctrines and training regimens that you can choose from right now, but at this time all you have going for you is our increased strength and obstinate way of coming back from the dead." Horst looked down at his battered body before looking back up at the redhead. "I can't teach you much while I'm like this, but when I get out of this hospital bed, we can engage in some formal training, for both you and Summer. The first step in becoming a Guardian is learning to work with your Ghost."

Ozpin chose that moment to step forward, releasing his supportive grip on Ruby's shoulder as he stepped between Huntress and Guardian.

"Unfortunately, your ascension to becoming a Guardian has not gone unnoticed. Officially, I came down here to arrest Ruby Rose and her instructor, and detain both for questioning by the Atlesian military." His announcement earned a shocked exultation from Yang, who nearly started to cause an uproar of rage when Ozpin held up a placating hand. "However, because I am the de facto commander and chief of all Huntsmen and Huntresses in Vale, I have decided to refuse those orders on the grounds that this is _my school_ and you are _my students_. And I will not be told what to do with my subordinates, particularly when I fail to find that they have done anything wrong." The steel and anger in Ozpin's words reminded Ruby that Ozpin was the Headmaster of Beacon for a reason, and the legends behind his power felt a little more like truth as she listened to the authority in his voice. Blake was the first to break the spell of silence that Professor Ozpin's announcement had cast upon the assembled Huntresses in training.

"I thought General Ironwood was here to provide extra security for the Vytal Festival. Why is he demanding that you hand over Professor Horst and Ruby?" The Faunus asked quietly. Ozpin's brow furrowed at her words, and a frustrated sigh escaped his lips as he grasped his cane firmly with both hands.

"Because the bureaucrats of Vale have sought to grant to more 'military inclined' General supreme security powers over Vale for the duration of the Festival. I may retain my hold over Beacon and its students, but Ironwood had free reign over the city and its citizens. Which means that the kingdom has granted him power in equal standing to my own. His status as Atlas' own Headmaster also grants him leverage." Ozpin the looked to Horst. "Which is why I must ask you to contact the Vanguard much sooner than we agreed on." Horst frowned at the Headmaster's words, but he couldn't deny the man's reasoning. Ozpin's cunning and shrewd understanding of politics had kept Vale under his control for as long as possible, but with less understanding wolves scratching at their door, the day for Horst and the Guardians to go public had just grown a lot closer.

" Agreed. If we are to work this in our favor, we need to announce the Guardians before Ironwood digs too deep. A press conference goes over much better than a confession. That being said, I am worried about this Taken King. There is very little in Switch's archives about him, only that he is the father of the Hive God Crota." Horst winced as he mentioned the fallen Hive Prince. "I can only hope he didn't recognize me, because I am one of the six Guardians responsible for killing Crota."

Ruby remembered her time in the trance, visiting the Dreadnought and feeling the brunt of Oryx's inhumane rage and blood lust. The encounter with the Taken King had shaken her at first, but Ruby realized something: she had beaten him. They had not fought in true combat, but he had attempted to stop her and failed. No matter how unstoppable or immortal he might seem, Oryx could be beaten. Ruby had already done it once.

"Well, he can't run for beans." Ruby said with a self satisfied smirk. "I snatched Summer right out from under him, and he couldn't catch me." Ruby crossed her arms and beamed with pride, earning an amused chuckle from Horst.

"Yes, you are correct in that respect. The evolution of Semblances and your aura will be something the Hive cannot anticipate. It is one of the reasons why I was sent-" Horst was interrupted by Switch, though it was not a verbal interruption. The black Ghost suddenly snapped his gaze upward, before separating into his basic components, the facets that normally surrounded his ball shaped core expanding outward in a ball of Light as he pulsed. Horst, Ozpin, Ruby, and the others watched on as the Ghost received something, straining his sophisticated communications instruments to the limit as he intercepting a transmission. After a few seconds in his excited reception, Switch returned to his normal form. When he did, he zoomed straight over to Horst.

"I just finished decoding the last of the video packets the Vanguard have been sending us. There is a message for Horst, and a message for Ozpin." Switch said quickly, and then cast his blue light in front of the bed ridden Titan as if he were scanning something. Instead of the blue light washing across Horst's body, however, it somehow solidified in front of him as an impromptu screen. On the screen was a very familiar white helmet, with a single horn on one side.

"Shaax!" Horst said with a grateful smile. After playing instructor for so long, it was good to see his mentor for once. Shaax's image remained frozen, as Switch had not yet begun to play the message, but the brief glow in Horst's chest at the sight of his friend did wonders for his mood.

"Horst." The displayed image began. "I hope you are getting all of this. Switch has always had a knack for garbling perfectly good communications, but I'm sure he can handle this. I wanted you to know that we received your messages." Shaax's voice swelled with pride. "What you've found is far beyond anything we could imagine, boy. I was thrilled to hear that you had taken on students of your own, and these Huntsmen sound like capable warriors. Commander Zavala tried to order you to return at once, but I managed to talk him down. Things have...changed since you left." Shaax shook his head and looked down slightly, his cheerful voice giving way to a far more somber tone.

"There's no way to say this lad, so I'll just be out with it. Jerrell and Stov are dead. We haven't heard from Jax or Morrigan either, but we're not assuming anything at this point. These creatures, these...Taken...have appeared all over the system. And they seem to be targeting Guardians involved in the moon assault you took part in last year. I cannot stress this enough: the Taken King is looking for you, and he is out for blood. Zavala's suggestion for you to return is a good one, but I can't assume you have a way back yet. The Vex time gates are inactive, corrupted by Oryx's magic. The Speaker has been looking into the Gatekeeper system Rasputin uses to send information back and forth between Earth and distant planets, but so far we haven't turned anything up." Shaax looked away from the screen, presumably to another Guardian that had come up to speak with him. The immense Titan nodded and said a few words that were too indistinct to make out, and then he looked back at the screen.

"I have to go lad. I hope this finds you well, and I know you'll find a way back to us. Stay safe, Horst. And give my regards to your students. I told you that you would have some one day." With that, the display closed, leaving Switch and Horst staring at each other. The Titan's face was scrunched up painfully as he fought down the emotions that welled up within him. The news of his friends' deaths hit him hard, but all Guardians had grown accustomed to death. Though powerful, Jerrell and Stov were not invincible. The two Titans had been inseparable since their resurrection, and had likely died fighting together. Horst couldn't imagine the duo going out any other way. Jax and Morrigan, a Hunter and Warlock pair that were always tied at the hip, had spearheaded the assault on the moon that had ended in Crota's demise. Morrigan had provided the research and intel necessary to bring down the Hive God, and Jax had been essential in infiltrating the Hellmouth. No one else could manipulate the shadows quite like Jax. The praise from his former mentor and role model did little to uplift Horst's spirits, but he would have time to grieve later.

While Horst wrestled with his emotions on the bed, Switch glided over to Ozpin next. The Headmaster watched expectantly as the Ghost projected a screen before him just as he had for Horst. This time, however, an ambiguous robed person with a white face plate and a black hood stood on the screen.

"Greetings, Headmaster Ozpin. I am the Speaker." The man said with an air of wisdom and respect. "I understand that Titan Horst has made you aware of our mutual history, and the struggle that we face in these dark times. I come to you with a warning, and a plea. The Darkness thirsts for our destruction, as well as yours. I know that you have fought the Grimm for hundreds of years, but I fear the meddling of the Guardians may bring far more sinister horrors to your doors. It is with this knowledge that I ask you to ally with us. The Guardians have much to offer Remnant, and I can assure you that all would benefit from this alliance. I have already requested a task force assemble to come to Remnant. While we are still struggling to provide transport, I can promise that these hardened warriors will provide pivotal assistance against all enemies, both Grimm and not." The Speaker clasped his hands before him and bowed. "I cannot expect an expedient reply in these trying times, but I can only hope that you return to me with correspondence swiftly. Time is of the essence, and the forces clamoring at our gates are unlike anything we have ever prevailed against. I can only fear what would happen if they turned their eyes to you, too." With that, the screen collapsed into nothingness, leaving a pensive look on Ozpin's face as he considered the message.

The Headmaster of Beacon had not earned his title on battlefield accolades and quick wit alone. One of the first skills Ozpin had learned was to hide his reactions from the views of others, particularly when a reaction was expected. As the members of RWBY reeled from the two messages, Ozpin's face remained neutral and in control. He would discuss the matters with Glynda later, but for right now he needed to look like everything was alright. And if he got his way, then everything would be.

"Wow." Weiss said slowly, not trusting herself to speak at first. "I'm sorry to hear about your friends, Professor. It's hard to lose a comrade, particularly hearing about it later." Horst winced at her words, but nodded thankfully towards her regardless. The normally stubborn Ice Queen was not without sympathy, and he appreciated her kind words.

"Thank you Weiss. They were dear friends, all of them, but true friendship is rare among the Guardians these days. We have lost so many Ghosts, most Guardians work in pairs, or simply alone." Horst cut his milky eye toward Ruby. "However, Ruby's discovery may change that. That being said, we may have an issue reintegrating into the Guardian ranks. Provided that Ironwood doesn't drag us out into the streets first." Horst muttered that last part under his breath, but team RWBY caught onto it immediately. The general wasn't exactly the most approachable man, but the animosity against him from Beacon's staff was somewhat worrisome. Weiss, being from Atlas, pondered the issues more closely than the others. The heiress knew the scheming and power plays from back home, but to see them active here in Vale was another matter.

"Enough about all that crummy stuff." Ruby's voice cut through the melancholy air that threatened to descend upon the room. "When do I start Guardian training? It sounds so awesome!" The redhead bounced on her toes as she said it, and was nearly thrown off by the dark chuckle that came from Horst. Perturbed, she and Yang exchanged a look as Horst rolled in his bed to face Ruby and Ozpin.

"Your training as a Huntress will only help you as a Guardian. But in order to succeed, we have to start from the ground up. You'll have to learn the very first lesson every Guardian learns: you'll need to learn how to die." Horst got a dark gleam in his eye, and Ruby couldn't help but shudder.

* * *

 _Earth, the Last City..._

Banshee had been on about the missing weapons for hours before he ever went to Shaax about it. While the Crucible handler wasn't above handling disputes between citizens or Guardians, something like a few missing satellite pieces and an antique rifle was a little beyond his attentions. As the forgetful gunsmith continued to rail about his missing materials, it took a considerable amount of discipline on Shaax's part to listen to the Golden Age Exo. He sent a few security androids with Banshee to scour the hangar for any sign of the parts, but Shaax chalked the materials up as a loss and moved on to his next predicament.

Currently, Shaax and Commander Zavala were poring over the topography and social reports from Horst and Switch. The geography of Remnant was startlingly similar to prewar Earth, and a likely reason for its initial settlement so many years ago. From the messages that Switch had been broadcasting – replicated packets soaring through space at regular intervals – the people of Remnant had evolved to incorporate Light into themselves. After losing the Light from the Traveler, the local population had developed a crude way of generating Light similar to the Guardians. It was a revelation that had send Ikora Rey into a fit, citing that such an evolution was impossible without genetic modification. Cayde and Zavala had taken a few steps back as the Warlock had railed about the inconsistencies in Light generation, the possible existence of a separate Traveler, and thirty other concepts and counter arguments that were lost on her friends. After she had left the meeting room in a flurry of Light enhanced footsteps, Cayde had followed out to make sure the volatile woman didn't hurl some unsuspecting Guardian off the Tower.

"I don't like this Ironwood subject. He's too suspicious, and by far too hostile to allow." Zavala growled. "He's putting our man at risk with his paranoia."

"You are the last person to lecture a man about paranoia, Commander." Shaax chided. "If there were Huntsmen walking around the Tower unsupervised, you'd be having a stroke." Zavala took the rebuke in stride and conceded the point. His waved his hand in front of them, sliding through holographically projected images taken from Horst's perspective. The most recent image showed several young students, one cocking a hammer back to strike as Horst grappled with her blonde teammate on the ground. From the point of view, two arms came up to shield from the blow, but Shaax's expert eyes knew that there was no blocking a hammer of that size. He had expressed his pride in Horst and his seamless transition into his cover as a teacher. If Shaax were to ask his former pupil directly, he knew that there would be nothing but glowing tales about those under Horst's care.

"The people of this planet are powerful, but divided. I can only hope that a greater threat will help unify them against the Darkness." Zavala cast his eye towards a more permanent display to their right: the bitter remains of the Awoken Queen's fleet, scattered near the Dreadnought like so much chaff. The Awoken had been reclusive and hostile to all Guardians save the few that earned their respect. For the Queen to sacrifice herself, as well as a sizable fraction of her subjects, in a ploy to defend Earth was nothing short of lunacy.

"You how people are, Commander. Give them a big target, and someone will slip in a knife while everyone's back is turned. The people of Remnant don't have years of attrition against the Fallen and the Hive to unite them. They would just have a scary story and an armed force visiting them from the far reaches of space." Shaax inclined his head. "I think we both know how that would go."

Zavala clenched his fists and stood from the table, rolling his shoulders free of the tight knots that had settled into them. Shaax wasn't normally the pacifist in a situation; if anything, the Crucible master was a very straightforward and honest man. If there was a fight to be had, Shaax would kick the door down and lead the charge. Zavala had sought Shaax's council on many matters, and his advice was sound and wise. If Shaax said don't attack, then there was a very good reason for it. That being said, it went against Zavala's grain to leave a Guardian in a hostile situation, particularly one as powerful and respected as Horst. Knowing that there were civil matters that could put Horst or his prospective recruits in danger made Zavala itch to send support, either in the form of military might or a select few Hunters that could infiltrate the area. But then, he didn't exactly have Guardians to spare, either.

In the month and a half since the arrival of the Dreadnought, strange Hive magics had washed over the Solar System. Earth, Mars, Venus, the Moon: every venue in their battle against the forces of Darkness had been assaulted by a new force: the Taken. Strange, other worldly beings that turned out to be captured enemies from the standard menagerie, the Taken came in many forms, boasted frightening abilities, and they all answered to one name: Oryx, the Taken King. The Hive God had made his intentions known when Stov and Jerrell had gone to Phobos to investigate strange energy readings, just before the invasion. The two veteran Guardians had discovered a Cabal base under fire, and the large creatures were doing something that few Guardians had ever seen them do: retreat. A mass exodus from the base nearly blew Jerrell off course, but the two had stormed the base to find an Echo of Oryx: a black, ghostly projection of the Hive God's power. Oryx swore vengeance for his fallen son, and named the six Guardians that had descended into the Hellmouth. And then, he had claimed Jerrell and Stov.

It was then clear: Guardians and other beings of Light could not be Taken, or at least not right away. The Cabal, Hive, Fallen, and Vex were a different story however. All across the system, warped and tortured beings appeared out of dark ripples in space to attack everything in sight. The Hive took the reinforcements in stride, some even willingly giving themselves to the void as they returned to the Ascendant Realm. The Guardians adjusted quickly – what was one more ugly monster to kill? - but there were still casualties. Eris Morn had been tending to the wounded, those injured by the warped magic of Oryx's horde were slow to heal, and some even had difficulty resurrecting. And this was the dilemma that faced Commander Zavala as Horst's own problems unfolded.

"I wish the Gatekeeper systems weren't slaved to that damned Warmind. We could have reinforcements, or at least Horst, in a matter of days. We need some support." Zavala finally said, gazing wistfully at the images of the relatively peaceful world of Remnant. When she was calmed down, Cayde was going to attempt to get Ikora to examine the Grimm mentioned in the reports, and see if a solution could be found there. If they eliminated the Grimm, perhaps the Huntsmen would at least accept an alliance pact. Anything to dig up support in this damned war.

"We won't get it. You know what we have to do: shore up the defenses and make damned sure that every man gives his worth. We are Guardians, Zavala. They shall not pass our gauntlet." Shaax said reassuringly. The blue skinned Commander looked up at his senior with a dark look in his eye.

"Poor condolences for those that have not returned from the Darkness, Shaax. I had assumed you respected our men and women more than that." Shaax stepped back slightly from the barb, but his voice remained calm and level.

"I respect every Guardian that makes that sacrifice. But it would be foolish to go through this struggle thinking that it is not our sacrifice to make. Every man and woman that steps through our door knows that some day will be their last. It is the fact that they still come running that we are even alive." Shaax turned and walked back towards the closed door, passing several assistance mechs as they obliviously tapped away at their computer terminals, the skeletal droids bathed in a soft blue light. "Let me know if you hear anything else from Horst." With that, the large Titan made his exit. Zavala watched him go, now alone in the room except for the droids that blatantly ignored everything but the screens in front of them. A tide of emotions roiled through the Commander as he pondered their impossible situation. Despair at the loss of his soldiers, frustration with the lack of clear answers, and rage and his enemies and their vendettas. As his thoughts lingered on Oryx's hateful proclamation, a terrible idea entered his mind. If the announcement that all those responsible for Crota's demise would be exterminated was anything to go by, Oryx had specific targets. The Traveler was the general goal, of course, but Horst and one other Guardian were the last ones responsible for the death of Oryx's son. If Horst was already on Remnant, would Oryx divert to give chase? It was dirty, a terrible play to send such a powerful enemy to an unprepared world. But if they had a little more time, it would not be difficult to send reinforcements. Remnant simply had to hold out.

 _Traveler forgive me._ Zavala silently begged, and then keyed his communicator.

"Cayde, see if you can locate Spirit. I need her here as soon as possible."

Horst would kill him if he found out.

* * *

Apologies about the late update. I find it difficult to write unless I'm sitting at the hospital. With the year coming to a close, I want to extend season's greetings, Merry Christmas, Happy Hanukkah, and a good whatever it is you practice. For those who do not follow a faith, I hope you guys enjoyed the festivities brought on by the season. Here in America, be get a candy cane hard on whenever someone even mentions Christmas.

I must also ask everyone to remember the readers and writers that did not see the end of this year. As a first responder, I have been made aware of how many people pass each day. The knowledge that some are within the community we enjoy every day. To my brothers on the road, in the hospital, or down in the jails: stay safe, stay vigilant, and be sure to make it home. We're all standing watch.


	9. Chapter 9

So, everyone seemed very receptive to Ruby attaining Guardianship this past go around, and I'm glad the reception was so warm. I'm not leaning towards everyone on Remnant getting a Ghost, but the new way to free the little bastards has a few ideas spinning around in our heads. I type this as of Season 3, episode 7; the whole thing with the Maidens still hasn't been fleshed out yet, but I'm approaching a pivotal point in this story where I have to supply that information. If RWBY hasn't provided the mythos I need for the story, I'll simply have to create it against canon and say to hell with it. I'm going to expand on the abilities Ruby will possess, and flesh out the Remnant/Earth transit problem. **Red Like Roses** by _Jeff Williams_.

* * *

After a grumbling twelve hours of Light enhanced healing, Horst was finally released from the infirmary, with the stipulation to take things easy for the rest of the week. He had calmly flipped the bird to the doctor's back as he exited, a show of immaturity that was startling but also refreshing to team RWBY as they escorted him out. Given the behavior between Guardian and Ghost, Ruby was nearly certain that a longer stay would have resulted in damage to the entire floor. Unfortunately, the time of Horst's release had dumped them out the door at the same time of night that everyone had accumulated their injuries the previous day. No one was keen on another midnight beatdown, so Horst decreed that everyone hit the hay and return to the training room in the morning. This decision was fueled both by his eagerness to construct a training regimen for Ruby and his responsibility to plan for team JNPR's trip into Emerald Forest. Hopefully, they wouldn't be fighting a Hive-possessed giant Deathstalker this go around, but he planned to be more detailed in his machinations regardless.

Unfortunately, gaining another voice in her head and a new friend to go with it made sleep nearly impossible for Ruby. Once they finally returned to their dorm and cleaned their weapons, the night had dragged on to nearly 2 AM. With the maintenance complete Blake, Weiss, and Yang had molested their beds nigh professionally, the entire team sans Ruby falling asleep almost as soon as their heads hit their pillows. This left Ruby up and alone, even despite the fatigue she felt from her encounter with Oryx. Summer proved to be an excellent conversation partner, and Ruby used their time alone to elaborate to the Ghost everything she could about life at Beacon, as well as about her life in general. The Ghost proved to be a patient listener, and offered very little comment until Ruby would stop and breathe for a minute. Ruby told her new partner about her life on Patch, the island just off the coast of Vale, with her parents and Yang. At first, Ruby had been apprehensive to tell Summer about her namesake, but some gentle prodding helped the red reaper open up about her mother easily enough. Ruby went on deep into the night, whispering to Summer about how her mother would come in late some nights and still put in the effort to kiss Ruby and Yang good night before collapsing into bed with their father. She spoke with a childlike wonder about how Summer Rose had always been her role model, and the stories Yang had read to her about fairy tales and heroes vanquishing evil.

The sun had begun to peek in through the window when Ruby's restless mind finally found sleep, and as a result of her insomnia she only got two or three hours of asleep. That made her the last to wake for a shower, though once she downed a few glasses of milk, the leader of team RWBY was back to her usual peppy self. All four girls readied themselves for a standard weekend, though their meeting with Horst still promised to be interesting, to say the least. As they walked, Ruby and Weiss chatted excitedly about the upcoming lesson. Meanwhile, Blake and Yang were entertaining a much more serious matter.

"I know that this Guardian thing is serious, Yang, but we can't ignore the threat the White Fang present because of Professor Horst and his problems." Blake said insistently, half whispering despite the relative safety of a bustling hallway shielding her words. "Torchwick and the rest are a lot more present than some galactic monstrosity light years away." Yang snorted at that, poking Blake in the arm lightheartedly.

"Says the girl that was slashing at a giant Deathstalker possessed by an alien god yesterday. I know the White Fang are a serious threat, but whatever Professor Horst and Ruby have coming up may be a little more destructive than a group of Faunus going about civil change the wrong way." Yang held up a hand in defense. "No offense."

Blake sighed heavily, but nodded. "None taken. I just wish that we could handle the White Fang before the rest of this catches up with us." She hated to be the pessimist of the team, but her knowledge of the White Fang as well as their recent activity with the stolen mechs raised some serious concerns in the Faunus' mind. She knew that Ruby and the others were worried about the Fang, but Blake felt that the Guardians and their far away conflict could draw RWBY's attention from the more local, severe problem.

"Actually, that's part of what we wanted to talk to you girls about today." Switch's voice was magnified by where it came from, but Blake couldn't react for fear of detection. The Ghost floated in the nape of her neck, hidden by Blake's thick mane of obsidian hair that cascaded down her back. Yang started and looked around for the Ghost, but a pointed look from Blake made her stop.

"What do you mean?" Blake asked more quietly, as the team approached the hallway that held the training room. Switch remained in his hiding spot, and neither Weiss nor Ruby seemed to notice the black Ghost's presence.

"One of the main reasons we've kept quiet about Earth and the Guardians is because a group like the White Fang could be detrimental to any alliance we hope to forge. Before we make any strides in connecting Remnant and Earth to help with the Grimm problem, as well as the mountain of issues we have back home, we need to either appease the White Fang, or shut them down for good." Blake wasn't sure she liked either option, but she knew better than to push an argument when she didn't have a better answer. That, and equal rights for Faunus was as good an appeasement as any.

Ruby stopped talking Weiss' head off as they entered the training room, placing a notice on the door that notified incoming students that training was in progress. It was technically true, because they would be training, but the warning was more for privacy than anything else. When they successfully marked the door, Switch phased through Blake's hair, shimmering as he displaced himself so as to not get her thick mane torn up with his many facets. Once he was clear, the Ghost flew to the center of the room onto the circular platform where most fights took place. Ruby and the others glanced around for some sign of Horst, but surprisingly enough the Titan was nowhere to be seen. Summer appeared next to Ruby and entered the circle as well, the crimson and black Ghosts circling each other as the Huntresses in training stepped further into the room.

"So, where is Professor Horst?" Ruby asked, breaking the silence that hung over the otherwise empty training room. Switch looked down slightly at her question, and rolled his eye for dramatic effect.

"The rigors of natural healing made it difficult for Titan Horst to wake up today. That, and he spent more time planning JNPR's trip tomorrow than he should have. As of this moment, he is in bed asleep." A twinkle appeared in Switch's eye as he spun his facets in what Ruby was beginning to interpret as mischief. "But we're going to fix that."

Switch spun another circle around just for giggles, then cast his holographic gaze over a particular spot above the ring, approximately eight feet off the ground. Team RWBY watched on in wonder as the now familiar cascade of white cubes heralded a transmat, and then a disheveled lump appeared in mid air. Said lump immediately succumbed to gravity's superior power, and fell to the ground with a loud thud. A pained and surprised grunt echoed from the lump, and all four members of RWBY winced in sympathy as they realized that the lump was Professor Horst.

Evidently, Goodwitch and Ozpin had been generous enough to provide Horst with some sleepwear, as the Titan was clad in a blue t-shirt and black pajama bottoms that did well to cover his large frame. To add insult to injury, he was even wearing a cap that looked like the mask of a Beowulf. The Titan groaned again as he unrolled from the fetal ball he had curled into, blearily looking around at his surroundings as he tried to come to terms with how the hell he had gotten to the training room. Weiss spun immediately once she realized that she was staring at Horst in his PJ's. Blake and Ruby both shared laughter of respective volumes, and Yang whipped out her scroll with a cheesy grin to take a few snapshots of the unwary professor before stowing it like she had never done such a thing. While they enjoyed their separate reactions, Horst turned a hateful eye to Switch, who floated smugly out of reach.

"Switch." Horst ground out, his voice hoarse from waking up so recently. "Armor. Weapons. Now." Switch chuckled at his Guardian's predicament, before complying with the request/order and bathing the Titan in another ray of soft blue light. A few seconds passed, and then Horst stood before them all in his armored glory, Chimera across his back and his sidearm at his hip. Switch's ability to transport things by atoms had made repairing Horst's armor almost automatic, the Ghost rearranging the molecules to the extent that it looked as if the armor had never been damaged in the first place. Horst groggily stretched and twisted this way and that, before removing his helmet and yawning widely.

"Good morning, ladies. I must apologize for my tardiness, but I had to make sure that your classmates' lesson plan for this week was a little more...planned than the one we went through last week." Horst rubbed his eyes wearily and focused them on his students. "I called you here today to discuss a variety of subjects, and to make you all aware of the next step in Ruby's training as a Guardian. I want to stress that this extra training should not in any way interfere with your team exercises or the standard classes you are already tasked to complete. I would be a poor professor not to teach her to employ her new gifts, but you are still a team. Therefore, you shall all be present during these training sessions, and I will do my best to contribute to the entire team's dynamic. We will meet here every Sunday at nine o'clock, and we will train for an hour each class before I release you to your weekend relaxation." Yang sent a worried look to Ruby as he spoke, but on the whole the team looked forward to a little extra training. Up until they had met Horst, their weekends had largely been going to Vale to shop and cause trouble and hanging out with their friends in team JNPR.

"So, what do you want to talk about first, professor? Besides your cute pajamas, of course." Yang asked, a teasing wink sent towards the Titan as she said it. Ruby snickered at her sister's antics while Horst simply snorted, ignoring the jab at his bedclothes.

"Our first discussion shall be about discretion. As you are all already aware, there are a multitude of reasons for secrecy in regards to the Guardians and Earth. Considering how many people treat the Faunus and ostracize them, I can see a much more violent reaction to the Guardians if the introduction is not handled carefully." Horst focused on Blake as he said this, very much aware of how personal the Faunus struggle was in Remnant. The girl narrowed her eyes slightly, but nodded in acceptance of his reasons. If anyone in the room knew of the kind of prejudice the Guardians were likely to face, it was Blake.

"I'm not going to ask you not to talk about it among your own team, because it is a daunting subject to be sure. However, I must ask that for now, you keep things quiet unless you are speaking with myself or the other professors. And under no circumstances would I or Headmaster Ozpin appreciate it if General Ironwood became aware of our little situation." Horst let his hard gaze soften momentarily. "I know none of you would willingly throw us under the bus, but I still felt that it needed to be said." Yang offered a thumbs up, all grin and cheesy pose.

"Don't worry, professor. Your secret is safe with us. We know how to keep secrets pretty well, unless it's from Ozpin." The blonde rubbed her head sheepishly. "For some reason, you can't keep anything from that guy." Horst nodded in agreement at that. The Headmaster was a very shrewd, resourceful man that endeavored to learn everything, and Horst was glad that he had gone to him so early in his arrival to Remnant. In retrospect, keeping himself hidden from Ozpin would have likely been a fruitless endeavor.

"I couldn't agree more. However, this brings us to our second topic: the White Fang." Horst began pacing as he spoke, and the four Huntresses found seats in the stands for a more comfortable conversation. "The first time I ever seriously interacted with you four apart from regular teaching activities was our little scuffle downtown. In that incident, we not only learned that the White Fang are more organized than previously thought, they are also clearly well armed. That being said, we certainly sent Torchwick packing with his tail between his legs." Horst clenched a victorious fist at that. Roman's escape bugged him slightly, but the fact that four girls and a Titan had so capably handled a walking death machine spoke volumes of both RWBY's skill and the flaw in the mech suits.

"Because we're just that awesome!" Ruby cried with a grin, and she and Yang shared a high five. Horst wasn't about to disagree, but he held up a cautionary finger lest they get carried away.

"That may be true, but the White Fang have voiced a keen interest in myself, and Torchwick in particular can recognize Ruby and Blake on sight." Said girls shook their heads, remembering their fight down at the docks. Roman never seemed to forget a face, it seemed. "We will need to move forward very carefully from now on. While I am out in the forest with JNPR and CRDL, it will be up to you four to keep a close eye on the school. Ozpin has the staff on the lookout, but four extra sets of eyes never hurt anyone." Horst turned toward Switch and nodded, and the Titan focused momentarily as he lowered the Light barrier that constantly protected him from harm.

"The next point in our discussion shall be the start of Ruby's Guardian training. I know that you four train as a team, but I would like to bring up an old line from a poem my mentor liked to toss around. My master always said, 'the strength of the pack is the wolf, and the strength of the wolf is the pack'." Horst paused to allow his students time to digest his words, though Weiss and Blake seemed to appreciate it more than the sisters. "That fundamentally says that while you are all stronger as a team, your individual strengths will do nothing but benefit all four of you in the long run. Blake's shadows and Weiss glyphs are a pivotal part of your collective strategies, and any improvements discovered by any of you are vital to your squad's growth. It is with this in mind that I ask you all to be here every Sunday."

Ruby bounced in her seat in excitement, eager to see what all she would be learning. The redhead raised her hand and bounced like a schoolgirl, earning an exasperated sigh from Horst.

"Yes Ruby, what is it?" Ruby stood up and held a hand under Summer as the crimson Ghost flew to her Guardian.

"What will we be learning first Professor?" Ruby asked excitedly, voicing both hers and Summer's enthusiasm for her training. Horst and Switch exchanged another look, before the Titan's face relaxed into a blank expression of control.

"The first thing you'll learn is how to do this." With no other warning or prompt, the Titan drew the sidearm from his hip and placed the barrel to his own temple, pulling the trigger before any of the stunned Huntresses could stop him. In the quiet training room, the gunshot was quite loud, the sound magnified by the shocking scene before the four girls as their mentor's head separated into several pieces, his body collapsing to the floor in a tangle of spasmodic, twitching limbs. The pistol clattered to the ground from dead fingers, and the ground to the left of where Horst had once stood was painted with his blood and brains. All of RWBY stood up in shock at the sudden suicide, but Yang put the feeling into words.

"Holy shit!"

Switch watched his Guardian's corpse twitch and bleed as the nerves continued to fire, all in all looking quite unfazed by the recent turn of events. He looked between the Huntresses' horrified expressions and the dead body, and then floated up closer to the stands, nearest to Summer and Ruby.

"Alright, you two. Pay attention here. This is a pivotal part of your training." Switch lectured in a calm voice, the blasé way he addressed the situation shocking Ruby even more. Switch locked eyes with Summer as he continued his instruction. "We'll go over the sequencing before you try this, but you should pay close attention especially, Summer." With his audience sufficiently informed, Switch flew back over to the cooling body of his partner and looked down at the corpse. His blue gaze lit up with the usual wave of scanning light as he passed over the body, before it disappeared as if he were transmatting something.

"Defying the laws of life and death in three...two...one." Switch said slyly, and then cast the scan again. As his gaze illuminated the floor, a pair of boots appeared from the air and settled onto the ground. A set of knees attached to them as Switch slowly scanned upward, and a midsection, torso, and head followed before Horst stood again right in front of them in all his glory, though he was wearing his helmet again. The Titan twisted his neck this way and that as if it was stiff, then removed his helmet again and tossed it behind him. Switch transmatted the armored head piece before it touched the ground.

"Ta da!" Horst said with a little wave of his hands, the wide eyed students still speechless from his resurrection. "As you can see, I have returned to life with no side effects whatsoever. This is an ability that all Guardians are granted, and it is made possible because of our Ghosts." Horst inclined his head toward Switch, who bobbed in response. "When I said we were nigh immortal, I didn't just mean Guardians are immune to time. I meant that, with some exception, we can never stay dead."

Team RWBY exchanged looked between the four of them as Horst stood before them, completely shell shocked from what they had just witnessed. As Horst expected from their collected history, Blake was the first one to recover from their startled silence.

"So, you're saying that you can come back from anything, so long as your Ghost is still alive?" She asked tentatively, the memory of Horst's twitching corpse still fresh in her mind. Watching Horst blow his own brains out was one heck of a shock, and just a little nauseating, though the knowledge that he was perfectly fine regardless did little to calm her nerves.

"No, I'm saying that _we_ can come back from anything as long as our Ghosts are still alive." Horst corrected, holding up a finger in emphasis. "And more to the point, one of the greatest advantages that a Guardian has is the ability to rush headlong into battle, knowing that if we are killed, we'll back in the fight within moments. You will need to embrace the reckless abandon of a Guardian, and fight your inborn survival instincts that could prevent you from striking a lethal blow." Ruby's face grew more and more pale as Horst went on. Yang noticed her sister's reaction and patted her hand in support, and looked to Horst in an effort to alleviate Ruby's fears.

"So, when you said she was going to learn how to die, you meant it literally?" She asked with a nervous laugh. Horst shook his head.

"No, not that far necessarily. I'm not saying find the nearest Beowulf and give it a hug. But there are many opportunities that a Guardian can take advantage of. We have many lives, but our enemies have only one. If you have to take a nasty hit to end the fight, then do so. Because you will get back up." Horst hefted his pistol in emphasis. "To prepare for this lesson, we are going to overcompensate for this by killing you." Ominous hammer click. "A lot."

The telltale trail of roses signaled Ruby's departure from the stands was clearly expected, as a fast dive from Horst ended with the Titan's hand latched onto Ruby's ankle as she attempted to escape. Weiss and Yang watched the young team leader try her hardest to escape from Horst's grip with a mixture of sympathy and apprehension, unsure if they wanted to watch their favorite professor kill Ruby over and over again. Blake, however, seemed at peace with it. She clearly understood the necessity of the lesson, regardless of its gruesome application. That, and the mention of the White Fang sent the Faunus into a distracted trance, barely registering the gunshots that rang out as Horst tried and failed to shoot the wriggling reaper in his grasp.

Ruby felt the rounds part the air near her head as they continued on into the floor, doing everything in her power to avoid the deadly shot. Or any shot, for that matter. While she was all for learning the ways of the Guardian, lesson one wasn't turning out quite how she expected. Her Light barrier – evidently her aura had transferred to Light during her ascension – drained rapidly as a few of Horst's shots landed. Using her Semblance again, the redhead managed to break away from Horst and stood opposite of him, Crescent Rose opened fully into its scythe form.

"If this is how the lesson is going to go," she said defiantly, "don't expect me to just die. You're going to have to earn it." Horst laughed at her determination, and holster the sidearm to draw Chimera from his back.

"An excellent idea, and you should hold on to that feeling of anger and outrage. The enemies of the Guardians are ancient and plentiful; it will take rage and determination to pound them into submission." Horst widened his stance and held Chimera in a two handed grip. "Now, come and get me."

Ruby dashed forward, firing a round behind her into one of the many barriers to give her an added boost. Horst was familiar with her style, but a head on approach would allow her to change direction as she approached. The Guardian waited until the last possible moment, then rolled under her decapitating swipe and turned to face her. Ruby repositioned in midair and altered her flight path with another round, sending her into the barrier to bounce off. Horst anticipated the move and tracked her, his experience with Hive Thralls and Fallen Captains helping him as he waited for her to come to him. Another charge, and Chimera and Crescent Rose met with a spray of sparks and the metallic clang of battle. However, Ruby abandoned the hit and run tactic and stayed with her strike, whipping her scythe around her body to continue a blinding series of slashes and stabs that Horst was forced to fend off. The Titan let the glancing blows slide across his armor, and used Chimera's large blade to deflect the more serious strikes as he observed Ruby's form, a flowing dance of strikes that capitalized on the energy she expended. A low horizontal slash failed to remove her ankles, and the redhead jumped into the air over Horst, slashing him across the chest three good times before landing behind him. Ruby pointed Crescent Rose away from the Titan and fired, attempting to power up her strike to cut clean through Horst from such close range.

The professor had other plans.

Rather than allow the blade of Crescent Rose to strike him in a slash, Horst stepped into the path of its tip, allowing the weapon to stab him in the side. A screech of metal and a spray of blood heralded his move, and Ruby was taken off guard, both by his reckless move and the sudden weight added to her scythe now that it was anchored in Horst's side. With blood trailing between his teeth, Horst grasped Crescent Rose and held it in place, before thrusting Chimera forward in a stab.

Ruby heard more than felt the blade enter her. A loud squelching sound echoed through the training room as Chimera punched straight through her flagging Light barrier, impaling the young girl through the chest. The coppery blood that burst from her mouth as a result made Ruby wince in disgust, but the most interesting part was the bizarre lack of pain. Ruby looked down at the blade piercing her chest in shock, not quite comprehending what had happened. Horst's chin was the most prominent thing in her vision as the girl numbly released Crescent Rose, her hands weakly grasping at the blade that tore through her. The Titan's own blood dribbled down onto the floor, and she noticed in the back of her mind that her legs weren't quite working anymore.

"Excellent." Horst coughed past another globule of blood. "I didn't expect you to... get me back on the first try." Ruby's limbs felt suddenly heavy, and suddenly she felt so very tired. The feeling left her extremities as blood continued to drench Chimera and the floor beneath them both. With neither Guardian able to hold them up, the two collapsed away from each other, though Horst retained his grip on his blade. The last thing Ruby saw, before the cold blanket of darkness washed over her, was Yang's stricken face at seeing her sister impaled on a blade.

Horst collapsed as well, his own injuries grievous and fatal. Summer appeared above Ruby's body and quickly removed it, as much for her team's benefit as it was to speed up the resurrection process. Horst took a little bit longer to expire, but soon Switch collected him as well, leaving two Ghosts floating over where the two Guardians had died. They were sure to pick up the blood and their weapons as well, but the way they removed all evidence of the brutal fight to the death somehow made the situation seem surreal. To the other three members of RWBY, it felt as if had they not been paying attention, there was no way of knowing that Ruby and Horst had just killed each other, right in front of them. Weiss, Yang, and Blake all sat thunderstruck, pinned to their seats by the shock and horror of what they had witnessed. Even despite it all being part of the plan, watching Ruby and Horst stab each other to death in a gory mess was a little much, especially for three girls halfway through their first year at Beacon. Summer flew up to the stands and looked between all three of them, hovering closer to Yang than the others.

"Everything is alright, girls." She consoled in a soothing, gentle tone. "Just give me a moment, and we'll have them both back right as rain." Yang's eyes remained wide and her face pale, but she still nodded numbly at the Ghost's words. Blake and Weiss did nothing more than blink, and Summer flew back down to the arena.

"Remember: embrace her being, not just her body. All you will bring back is a corpse if you don't channel the Light correctly." Switch reminded.

"Hush. We need to get them back and quickly. You two have traumatized these girls with this gruesome show and tell." Summer replied hotly, all the role of an angry mother. Switch wisely did not respond, and together the two expanded their facets away from their cores and flashed with Light, before disappearing entirely. In their places, Ruby and Horst dropped to the ground in a shower of glimmering light, as if they had been transmatted from somewhere else instead of returning from the dead. Horst landed soundly on his feet, and immediately moved to catch Ruby as the girl sank to her knees weakly. The redhead was breathing rapidly, her eyes wide as she struggled with her resurrection. All she had felt was darkness and the cold, numb embrace of death, and then suddenly she was required to breath again. The experience was very frightening, and she nearly started hyperventilating as she processed what had just happened.

"Breathe, Ruby. Calm down." Horst said quietly, rubbing his gauntlet covered hand across her back in a reassuring fashion. "The first time coming back is always difficult, but you'll grow accustomed to it. Just relax." Ruby's breathing slowed slightly, but she recoiled from his touch. Understandable, since he had gutted her with a giant cleaver, but it made his job a little harder. Understanding her fears, Horst looked up at Yang and nodded insistently.

The blonde was over the protective barrier and by her sister's side faster than Blake and Weiss expected, though they too made their way into the arena. Horst took a step back to allow Ruby's teammates to surround her, all three offering consoling words and reassurances as Yang wrapped her sister up in a protective embrace. Surrounded by her friends, Ruby calmed down much more quickly, and soon was able to lean back and get a hold of herself. The fight wasn't anything she couldn't handle, except for the last part. Despite knowing what the lesson entailed, actually experiencing the mentor that she looked up to so much running her through with Chimera shook Ruby up. The resurrection itself had felt as if she had been in a cold, dark place, one that had suddenly been filled with warm light as she returned to the land of the living. It was a process that left the girl reeling, and gave her a lot to think about as she slowly shrugged off Yang's arms.

"I'm okay, guys. I'm fine. That was just... an experience." Ruby said shakily. She looked up at Yang and offered a weak smile, but the expression was a shadow of the normally exuberant young girl. Yang smiled back, though the strain in her eyes betrayed her true feeling about it. Weiss grasped Ruby's hand reassuringly, and Blake turned to look at Horst, who stood by with his arms crossed.

"You did that with very little warning." Blake stated, as if the simple fact was the accusation she was looking for. Horst maintained eye contact with the Faunus even despite her glare, unapologetic in his stance.

"That is how death often finds us, Blake. We will only have this one session today, but to prepare Ruby for what lies ahead, she will need to come to terms with this way of life. I understand how new and frightening it is for her – you forget, I went through it all the same – but I promise you that once she grows accustomed to resurrection, she will become a true terror to her enemies." Horst's gaze softened. "However, I am aware of how taxing it has been on her, and we are in no rush. We will spar and focus on team tactics for our special classes, and we can focus on resurrection training when Ruby is feeling up to it."

"I'm ready now." Both Horst and Blake turned to see Ruby kneeling on the floor, her shoulders no longer shaking as she struggled to catch her breath. Instead of the scared, startled little girl they had consoled and protected, Ruby sat with a fiery determination in her eyes, the silver orbs cutting into Horst like glass. Yang and Weiss were just as astonished as Horst and Blake, but the Titan's face twisted into a wry grin.

"I like your attitude, Ruby, but I must insist that we pick up resurrection training at another time. You need some time to adjust to this feeling, and I will not continue this further until you prove to me that you are ready." Horst remained adamant in his words, though he could have sworn he recognized some rebellion in the red reaper's eyes before her shoulders slumped. Ruby nodded morosely and stood from her crouch, Weiss and Yang following with her at an acceptable distance. Yang cast a few looks towards Horst, but Ruby's hand on her arm quelled the older sister's thoughts of retaliation.

"He's just doing what is best, sis. Leave him be." The normally peppy girl said quietly. Yang understood her words, but the sight of the exuberant little sister she had raised since her youth acting so downtrodden did little to help Yang's temper. Weiss stepped between the two sisters and Horst, pushing them slowly towards the door with a mixture of firm words and reassuring tones. The three slowly made their way out the door, undoubted heading to the dorm room so that Ruby could recuperate in peace. As the door closed, Blake and Horst found themselves in the room alone. The two looked at each other for a moment, Blake's apprehension towards the Titan clear on her face for a moment before he sighed heavily.

"I didn't enjoy doing that, you know." He admitted, trudging over to the seats and resting heavily on one of them. Blake stood in the arena for a few moments more, then walked over to join him, the heels of her boots clicking quietly in the otherwise silent training room. She took a seat next to the Titan as he leaned forward, resting his elbows on his knees and avoiding eye contact.

"Ozpin mentioned that you and the White Fang have always been a sore topic, but there are only so many places a young child like you can obtain skills of your caliber." Horst said, staring straight ahead. "I understand if you don't want to talk about it, but I need to present my methods for training Ruby accurately."

"I understand why you did it." Blake said in a neutral tone. "Despite how gruesome it was, we all expected the result that was given. It's just...expecting something like that to happen and seeing it are two very different things." She admitted. Horst chuckled mirthlessly at that, and cast a sidelong glance at the Faunus.

"You've seen something like that before though, haven't you? In fact, I'd even wager that you've had to kill before." Horst prodded, and this time it was Blake that looked away. Her golden eyes passed over the training room wall in avoidance. She didn't owe him an explanation, particularly not one that she had not even shared with her teammates. Only Yang knew the sins of her past, and the blonde brawler had promised absolute secrecy unless Blake requested otherwise. That being said, Horst and Switch had shared a lot with RWBY out of faith. Was it entirely fair for her to withhold a few secrets?

"Yes." She responded quietly. Horst did not laugh or curse or do any of the other things that she dreaded her friends to do. The reason she had never revealed exactly what she had been to the White Fang – the new White Fang, anyway – was because she didn't want her friends to treat her the same way that the general population treated the Faunus: like a dangerous animal that wasn't to be trusted. Of course, even as Blake reflected on that she knew the notion was foolish; even Weiss, the Schnee heiress raised with plenty of reason to hate the White Fang, had accepted her back onto the team purely on the notion that Blake was no longer a part of the Faunus rights group turned terrorist organization. Still, the concept of revealing her sinful past to the team frightened her.

"I know you are a good person, Blake. I've heard you speak about the struggle of the Faunus, and how you stood up to Weiss during your first semester. Ozpin was a bit unclear on how the White Fang became what they are today." Horst shifted to face her, his face solemn in his request. "I pray it's not too much to ask, but I was hoping to get the inside perspective from someone like you. So that I can appreciate what they have fought for."

Blake winced at his request; it was a hefty one, particularly for someone who had just killed one of her friends. Granted, she had gotten better, but still. Blake's apprehension must have shown on her face, because Horst sat back slightly.

"How about this; to level the playing field, I'll tell you about my first resurrection. If you feel comfortable talking to me about the White Fang after that, fire away. If not, I would understand it perfectly if you went with Weiss and Yang to help Ruby calm down. Deal?" Horst asked, offering a hand to shake. Blake looked down at the offered appendage, noting how much the hand dwarfed her own in comparison. It was a fair request, and it seemed that in the increasingly more complicated world she found herself in, Horst was proving to be a steadfast ally. On top of that, he had provided her with an out if things got too emotional. Blake grasped his hand firmly and shook it once before releasing it.

"Deal."

"Alright." Horst leaned back to rest his massive form against the next row of seats to get comfortable. "This happened roughly thirty years ago, though the exact date has been lost to me. Sometimes, it takes a while for a Guardian to resurrect, particularly in areas disputed by the Darkness. The fact of the matter was, Switch came hunting for me in particular, though he has never told me what singled me out as a candidate for Guardianship. I don't remember anything from my previous life, except for vague, washed dreams that I have from time to time. In any case, I find myself in a country on Earth called France, surrounded by destroyed buildings and ruined frames of cars. Before I can even get my bearings and come to terms with my lack of memories and new life, a Fallen Captain came flying from a nearby apartment building and lopped my head off before I could do anything. I resurrected, as you saw today, and he did it again and again and again. Here's this big, four armed alien bastard as big as I am, and finally I get one of his swords away from him and run him through. My first day as a Guardian, and I was torn apart by an enemy that has slain countless veterans. And you know what I did?" Horst looked at Blake expectantly. The girl shook her head. "I cried my eyes out."

Blake blinked at that. She could see Horst knocking back a few bottles of liquor, or maybe taking out his anger on a punching bag like Yang sometimes did. But Blake could not honestly picture the large man before her weeping in a corner like a scared little girl.

"That's...wow. I can't picture you doing that," Blake admitted. "Not to call you heartless or anything, but I can't imagine you breaking down like that." Horst chuckled at the admission, and continued his story.

"Anyway, after I managed to get away from the rest of the Fallen forces and to the City, I started my training as a Titan. Commander Zavala and the other members of the Vanguard sent me on missions to better prepare me for my role. It was an exhausting experience, scavenging my weapons from the same wreckage the Fallen had picked apart for centuries. My first rifle had a cracked sight for months before I invested in a hand cannon. Being a Guardian was rough at first, and many of the friends I made were killed, or simply disappeared. However, I managed to survive my first few months with only Switch and Commander Zavala to guide me and learned through experience and trial and error to become the Titan that I am today. Well, that and my apprenticeship under Lord Shaax for several months." Horst finished. Blake leaned back to absorb his story, crossing her legs as she pondered what Horst's past meant for Ruby. Granted, Ruby wouldn't be haphazardly thrown into a violent world where she wasn't allowed to die, but the troubling future ahead of her – and given Horst's original mission of recruitment, a possible future for all of them – was something to consider.

"Alright, fair is fair, I suppose." Blake sighed as she prepared herself for her story. Only Yang had coaxed her experiences in the White Fang from her, and it had taken a lot of Xiao Long prodding before Blake had come clean on it. It was refreshing for her to not offer the first secret, but at the same time she had to be comfortable with her friends. Sad as it was to say, it had taken her quite some time before she believed that Horst was a friend.

"When I was twelve, I got caught up in the White Fang movement; the _proper_ White Fang, while Roger Leonberger was still the leader. We organized rallies and picket lines, set up peaceful protests and sit ins. Nothing we did overstepped our bounds or broke the law, but we still made our voices heard. And after a while, it seemed like we were doing good. There I was, carrying a cause when I was only a child, and I actually felt like I was doing something for our people." Blake heaved a regretful sigh. "Unfortunately, there were some in the White Fang that thought progress wasn't being made. I had a friend, named Adam, that took care of me and protected me in the more dangerous demonstrations. He was only a few years older than me, but with my parents gone he and I grew close." The Faunus clenched her hands into fists as a flurry of memories passed before her mind's eye, too many and too fast to bother deciphering. "Very close. I could almost say I fell in love before I knew what love was. But he was always there for me, protecting me and teaching me as we fought to make a difference for the Faunus."

"I remember when I first came to Vale. When Switch was going through the CCT – their wireless security is garbage, by the way – he brought up how historically the Faunus had been mistreated for many years. It's sobering, however, to go from reading it in a history book to experiencing the fight for equality." Horst tapped his helmet. "There are three different species of Guardians, and the Awoken are the most discriminated against. Of course, that is more of a group decision made by their Queen than a racial profile. I can only hope that the culture shock of Earth reconnecting with Remnant can help the people of this world move past such petty differences." Blake nodded in approval at the sentiment, but the uneasy feeling in her gut, similar to the feeling she got around large crowds, disputed his high hopes.

"In any case, Leonberger's support within the White Fang started to crumble as a few violent protests began to get more results. I didn't see Adam sometimes during those riots, but I could see the effects. In all areas where peaceful protest had turned to riot and property damage, the human population treated Faunus better than they had ever been treated before. But it wasn't out of respect or understanding; these people were afraid. Leonberger tried to convince whomever was organizing the attacks to stop what they were doing, but no one ever stepped forward to receive his words. It was heartbreaking to see such a large, passionate man be cowed and broken by the actions of those he tried to help." Blake shook her head, her bow bobbing slightly as she did so. "Five years ago, Leonberger stepped down from leading the White Fang, and disappeared entirely. There's no way anyone killed him, he was too well respected in both human and Faunus circles, but one day he just vanished, and has not been heard from since. The new leader was very secretive, issuing orders through his lieutenants to attack supply trains and kidnap dignitaries." Blake pulled Gambol Shroud from her back and held the weapon in her hands tenderly, the dark blade failing to reflect any light from its sheen as she stared at it.

"I'm guessing you were one of those lieutenants." Horst reasoned. "It's clear you were somewhat ranking in the organization, though I hazard a guess that Adam was even further up." Blake's yellow eyes met Horst's mismatched ones, and she looked down guiltily.

"I trusted Adam far more than I should have. He trained me, gave me Gambol Shroud, and went with me for most of my missions. Every time we would come back, however, one of the lieutenants would come looking for him, saying that our leader needed to speak with him urgently." A dark look crossed Blake's face as she recollected that one night, when her curiosity had gotten the better of her. She scoffed angrily. "There was no leader constantly requesting Adam's presence. HE was the new leader of the White Fang: a twenty year old boy that couldn't tell his best friend that he was the leader of the Faunus rebellion. I followed him one night and found out, watching him issue the orders once he thought I was somewhere else. After that, we went on one last mission, and I disappeared. I came to Beacon once I knew he lost my trail, and have been trying to build the right foundation for equality." Blake replaced Gambol Shroud back onto her back, and Horst nodded morosely, his good eye cast downward in contemplative thought as he brought his hands together in a wringing fashion.

"Your friend deceived you into thinking that he wasn't the new leader, most likely because he knew that you didn't agree with the violent changes. If he taught you how to fight, then I can only guess when he realized you disagreed with his policies." Horst's voice echoed with sympathies, and Blake would have felt good about it were it not for her bleeding memories of Adam, Wilt stained red with blood as he stood in the dining car of the Schnee train they had robbed. The killings had chilled her, but the smile he had tried to hide hurt even more.

"He's not my friend. Not anymore." Blake said resolutely. "Now, he's responsible for every drop of hate and fear that the White Fang cause." She looked over at Horst, wary of his judgment for her crimes, or perhaps the way she considered Adam's actions. Horst kept his face blank, a mask of contemplation that Blake had difficulty reading, until he stood up and broke the eye contact with her.

"Thank you for sharing that with me, Blake. I agree with your decision to leave, though I realize that it must have pained you greatly." His scarred eye crinkled as he winced. "I'm sorry things turned out the way they did."

Blake stood herself, and the two walked towards the door. "I am too. But that's why I'm here; to try and make things better. The right way." Horst admired the girl's conviction, and despite her deceitfulness in the forest and downtown, he knew that Blake was a kind soul that wanted the best for her friends and her people. It only cemented Horst's opinion of the team as a whole as well as Blake herself, and that the others would accept such a damaged child without question spoke volumes of them as well.

"I would come with you to help Ruby, but it would probably be best if she did not see me for the rest of the day. After my encounter with the Captain, I shot off every arm carrying a sword that ever came near me for two months, even if there were far more present threats. Send a message to my scroll when you feel she is ready to see me again, and I'll bring a batch of cookies up from the kitchen." Blake cocked a brow as she turned to face Horst, the door within arm's length of the two.

"Why do you trust me to know when she's ready, and not her partner or her sister?" Blake asked, confused as to why either Weiss or Yang had not been chosen instead.

"Yang cares deeply for her sister, but is rash and impulsive. Weiss is just the opposite, though it goes without saying that all three of you care about your leader. I trust you to keep the level head and gauge how receptive she would be to my presence. It's another thing I like about you Blake: you are incredibly perceptive." Horst inclined his head towards the door, and together the two left the training room. In the distance, the soft chime of lunch bell signaled the students enjoying their weekends to come eat. Keeping his slow pace in step with the chimes, Horst walked away, leaving Blake alone with her thoughts.

* * *

Zavala was examining the most recent scan of the Dreadnought, his new source of headache, when the assistance mech came flying over his head. He ducked slightly to avoid the android, but otherwise went back to examining the map of the immense ship as if he had not been threatened by a flying robot in the first place. Clearly expecting a more pronounced reaction, his attacker growled in annoyance.

"I was in deep recon, Z. You didn't have to pull me out early." The voice was feminine, though somewhat rough in tone. She was the only person that could get away with that stupid nickname, but it didn't stop the annoyance that Zavala felt as she said it.

"There's been a complication, and your skills are far more necessary on another mission. Any Guardian can record images from the Dreadnought and bring them back. Despite his far reaching power, Oryx hasn't seen fit to confront Guardians directly yet." Zavala continued to watch the updates take hold, observing miniscule blue lines flare bright orange for a few seconds before taking new shape to match the scans coming in frequently. It was troublesome to see walls and doors constantly change size and location. It was as if the Dreadnought was alive, or whatever passed as life for the Hive, and was changing its layout intentionally.

"No, he has thousands of minions to do that for him." The Hunter replied. When she finally stepped forward, Zavala noticed a few more scars on her chest plate. The Crest of Alpha Lupi, a vaunted armor design for Hunters, was a chest piece of armor decorated with faded gold and white fabrics covering plates of armor, and decorated with a golden wolf head flanked by the spread wings of an eagle. Unfortunately, her wolf had as many scratches as an aged Alpha could earn, shallow nicks and cuts scraping away the details meticulously cut into the metal. The Crest of the Alpha Lupi was only awarded to Hunters and Titans that excelled at teamwork and battlefield tactics, though most Alpha Lupi were just as deadly working alone as they were on a fire team. A bronzed set of goggles and a basic spherical helmet covered her features entirely, and her forearms were covered with a set of white vambraces and a knife, sheathed on her right arm. Her shapely form was hidden from sight by an under suit done in a mixture of dark and lighter gold, and her legs were protected by mismatched sets of armor. Her left leg had a single large plate that covered her thigh, and then the standard knee and shin guards. Her right leg had three narrow strips of metal fastened to the thigh, and her knee and shin were left unprotected. A long, flowing cloak of white and red cloth stretched from the hood that covered her head to the heels of her boots, the garment stretching wide to cover her back completely. Emblazoned on the back of the cloak was a strange mechanical creature of somewhat, done in gold and creeping twelve long legs up towards the hood with a long tail that fell to the bottom, the entire strange creature done in gold and looking as it were made from clockwork. The cloak had been a gift from the Speaker, in testament to her actions in the breaking of the Vault of Glass. A vicious, dark hand cannon sat on her left thigh, all protruding shapes and green lights as it practically oozed captured evil.

Spirit had been called back from the field, and she wasn't happy about it.

The female Guardian waved her hand in front of Zavala's face, distorting the hologram that he had been staring at for several minutes (hours). The blue tinted Titan stood up and faced toward Spirit, his face impassive as he waved a single hand over the projector. The miniature Dreadnought vanished, and replaced itself with the image of a small, blue planet. Spirit looked at the little ball without comment, though the way her head tilted to the side slightly indicated that she was not impressed.

"So, what? You want me to go stake out some dead world, looking for Oryx's underwear drawer or something?" She asked snidely, and Zavala fought the urge to roll his eyes.

"Not quite dead, though it does seem to be nearly overrun by a basic manifestation of the Darkness. No, this planet is inhabited." Zavala paused. "By humans."

This did catch Spirit's attention, as she leaned forward to examine the hologram more closely.

"That might actually be worth looking into. Where is it?" She asked, her demeanor changing gears entirely as she focused on the new mission. Spirit was brash, impulsive, and often would tell you exactly what she thought. But if she had something important or interesting, she was all business.

"It's in the Horsehead Nebula, near the only active star capable of supporting life. Curiously enough, the locals refer to the planet as Remnant." Horst waved his hand again, and the image zoomed in to present a large city, nearly three quarters the size of the City they stood in. Several statistics in white letters and numbers climbed up the left side of the hologram, displaying population density, military strength, and other details that could only be obtained through direct contact.

"If you know this much about it, and we've never heard of it before, then that means I won't be the first contact there." Spirit looked up at Zavala. "Who did you send? Surely not Stov, that old lecher would have half the town painted." Spirit said with her hands on her hips. Zavala's brow furrowed at the mention of the Titan, and Spirit's haughty demeanor sagged a little.

"Stov is gone. I had to send an elite Guardian, one that was present for the fall of Crota. I sent Horst." Zavala was not ready for the mixture of emotions that could be presented by a woman wearing a full head helmet. Her fist clenched is a controlled spasm when she heard of Stov's fate, but upon hearing that Zavala had given Horst the mission, all tension left her body. Spirit looked at Zavala dead on, leaned her head forward slightly despite the fact that he easily had four, maybe even five inches on her in height.

"You sent Horst on a first contact mission?" She asked incredulously. "I thought he was still training with Lord Shaax!" Zavala crossed his arms resolutely, not backing down as the smaller woman made her ire known. She and Horst had a complicated and interesting relationship, from friends to lovers to rivals to enemies to whatever the hell they were at any given time. If the two were in the same room together, they'd close the gap for reasons of rage or amorous attraction, sometimes a mixture of both that made onlookers very uncomfortable. The stress of Guardianship was handled in a variety of different ways, from hobbies to substances to chasing death, but Horst and Spirit found their distraction in each other. Whether it was in bed or in the ring was determined by the day, it seemed.

"As you said, you were in deep recon, and we were low on experienced Guardians. He had completed Shaax's training months ago, and was the only competent warrior we had strong enough to scout out a new planet by himself." Zavala threw her words back at her. "His progress reports have been delayed due to the distance traveled, but we're working on that. In fact..." Zavala looked behind Spirit, causing the Hunter to do so as well. The door to the conference room opened again, revealing Cayde and a hunched, alien figure clad in dark robes. The strange being next to Cayde had his face shrouded in shadow, save for two yellow eyes burning from within the darkness. No part of his body was exposed, and he wore what looked like a heavy backpack full of who knew what. He was Xur, Agent of the Nine and collector of rare and powerful artifacts from the Golden Age. Usually, Xur's wares were the difference between life and death for a Guardian. His presence in this meeting made Spirit curious.

"Our friend Xur has located two Golden Age warp drives that _should_ be compatible with your ship. He released them at no small price, but the possibility of reinforcements in these dark times is simply to valuable to ignore." Zavala said, stressing the 'should'. Cayde trotted in, keeping his distance from the hunched figure as he put Zavala and Spirit between himself and Xur.

"Yeah, we kinda had to break the piggy bank on this one." Cayde said without an ounce of regret. "Took a thousand of the strange vibrating coins, a literal thousand, but Xur here has already delivered two warp drives to the hangar bay." Cayde rested his elbow on Zavala's shoulder, much to the commander's annoyance.

"You can refuse this mission if you wish, but we needed to get another Guardian on the ground as well as transport the means for Horst to return. We also will need... a second opinion." Zavala muttered the last part, but Spirit caught onto it. For whatever reason, the Commander clearly had a disagreement with whatever Horst was sending back. Considering she was more likely to get the full story from Horst as Zavala, Spirit filed the odd reaction for later. Instead, she had to watch a very sketchy man with shadow tendrils for a face install a warp drive onto her precious ship.

"Alright. Let's get this over with." Spirit sighed heavily. Cayde raised his eyebrows in surprise and looked at Zavala.

"Wow, that was easy. Don't tell me you already pulled the Horst card?" Zavala just nodded, and Cayde tutted in disappointment. "You are such a little bitch sometimes..."


	10. Chapter 10

**Chapter 10**

* * *

Judging someone's inner thoughts and motivations is always a difficult thing to do, particularly when you aren't very familiar with them. It is also very hard to do if that person's face has been replaced by darkness tentacles. Spirit had been on edge the entire time she'd allowed Xur near her ship, and as soon as the warp drive had been connected to the main power, she'd quickly removed him from the hangar.

Her ship was designed after a dropship used in an ancient war fought by humans centuries ago, only much bigger. Unlike the Iron Symphony, Horst's smaller little blockade runner, Spirit's ship was larger and built for more prolonged missions. Two thick wings jutted out from the center of its blocky body, with an armored cockpit in front that put the pilot at the forefront of the ship. Another, smaller set of wings sprouted towards the rear, where a cargo door could drop and allow for easy maintenance and the loading of supplies. The main propulsion of the ship consisted of a large thruster on each wing, all four capable of angling downward and allowing the ship to hover in atmosphere. As far as size went, if Horst wasn't too broken up about a few scratches and dents, Spirit was confident that his ship could fit in her cargo bay with little trouble.

Heh. Innuendo.

The Infinite Sky was painted dark gray, and striped black to provide a compromise between in atmosphere camouflage and in orbit cover. A forward mounted cannon provided substantial fire from just underneath the cockpit, and two more lower caliber cannons sprouted from the larger forward wings. She had originally only sported the single cannon, but smaller rounds at a higher rate of fire made it easier to swat small attack craft out of the sky. (It's a giant fucking Pelican. Moving on!) With the cargo hold stuffed with Glimmer, ammunition, and Horst's Golden Age warp drive, Spirit was just about ready to go. As she loaded the last crate of rations, Spirit stretched her back out from all the stooping and carrying. Ghosts made transporting things easy, but Spirit was never one to just lounge about and let her Ghost do all the work. Speaking of which...

A glimmering white raven, its feathers and claws shining brightly in the sun's light, appeared out of thin air in front of her and flew around her head a few times before landing on her shoulder. Pure alabaster in color, the only deviation were the soft blue eyes that glowed with the same reassuring hue that all Ghosts exuded. Upon close inspection, one would see the feathers and claws of the raven were comprised of the same material all Ghost shells were made of. Instead of many simple shells, however, her Ghost had filaments so fine that the Light construct could be mistaken for a white bird even at close range.

"Hey, Hope." Spirit greeted with a tangible smile in her voice. "How are the power connections for the new warp drive?" The raven ruffled its feathers and preened, then turned one light blue eye towards Spirit's face.

"I'm afraid we won't know for certain what will happen until we engage it, though I don't see anything concerning yet. The power draw is actually a lot less than I anticipated." The voice that came from the raven's beak sounding like a small child, a little girl using words that sounded wrong shaped in the pitch that they were. Where Horst and Switch constantly bickered, Spirit tempered her more caustic words and phrases to cater to her Ghost's childlike personality. Despite her very adult actions, Spirit always spoke kindly and censored herself when Hope manifested, even though the Ghost knew everything that she did whether she was summoned or not. Many assumed it was a coping mechanism, Hope playing the role of a child for Spirit to dote on and feel responsible for. Horst wisely said nothing about the relationship, knowing full well that Spirit knew Hope was not innocent to all the dirty things she had done. The large Titan simply accepted her quirks and acted as if they were perfectly natural. It was what made him so important to her, even when he was being a pompous, selfless ass bent on getting himself killed.

"That's alright. We'll take a test trip to Mars just to put it through its paces. Have you made sure we're all packed and ready to fly?" Spirit asked as she walked up the loaded ramp, ordering the large door to fold up into itself and seal the cargo hold with a wave of her hand. Once the ship became airtight, Spirit noticed the subtle change in the air flow as her ship began cycling its own oxygen.

"We've got all the supplies necessary if we hit the wrong planet, or if this Remnant turns out to be a dead asteroid. Horst's warp drive is secure and won't roll around if things get a little wobbly." Hope reported, fluffing her feathers as she spoke. The two went up a metal ladder (the stair kind) and into the cabin, a sliding dark door that allowed Spirit into the living quarters of the Infinite Sky. A large living area was furnished with two small couches surrounding a low table, all done in cream and sand colors, kept light to contrast against the dark colors of the cargo area and the ship's exterior. The walls and floors were done in a similar tan and white combination that made the room feel less like the cabin of a warship and more like a small apartment on the Tower. A small refresher on the port side provided basic showering and toiletry needs, and two separate bunk rooms sat on the other side. Spirit continued through her own private flying home into the cockpit, where two flight chairs sat one in front of the other on the other side of thick, armored composite glass. With her flight plan already in the navigation system, there was little Spirit had to do besides maneuver the Infinite Sky out of the Tower hangar and into orbit. From there, it was more of a point and launch approach anyway. Spirit took the rear chair, slightly raised above its counterpart as she began flipping ignition switches for the engines and safety locks for the controls. Once the Infinite Sky was clear of the Tower's control, the Hunter gripped the wheel and throttle as she waited for the ship ahead of her to launch. Some newly resurrected Guardian, with an antique Arcadian class ship that looked like it had been pulled from a swamp.

While Spirit secretly judged her fellow Guardian for terrible taste in ships, Hope jumped from her shoulder onto the back of the chair in front of her, his blue eyes regarding her with curiosity.

"What do you think we should do when we get there?" She asked, her avian head tilting to one direction. Spirit sighed and leaned back, watching the old Arcadian in front of her lurch to one side as the launch catapult malfunctioned, several service androids rushing to mend the break and prevent the ship from falling further. There went their quick launch.

"Judging from the messages Cayde gave me, we'll need to speak with this Professor Ozpin, though I want Horst present when we do. He may consider the Headmaster of this school to be an ally, but I'd rather find Horst first." Spirit ignored the piercing look her Ghost gave her as she said that.

"That's the only reason you want to find Horst? I thought you were going to tackle him the last time you saw him." Hope winked slyly, and flapped hastily to avoid the halfhearted smack that threatened to send her into the view port.

"No, not after he up and left without so much as a goodbye. He'll be lucky if I don't scatter him across the planet for that." Spirit admonished hotly, just a little guilty of her complicated feelings over Horst. Hope was party to all of her thoughts, a product of spending so much time with someone that could literally become a part of you. It also meant the somewhat childish raven knew the things that raced through her head whenever she looked up at Horst's scarred face.

"You told him not to contact you for any reason, after they opened up the Dreadnought. For once, someone actually listened to you and now you are angry." Hope shook her head, and began preening underneath her right wing.

"He of all people should know when to listen to me and when not to." Was Spirit's response. "Going halfway across the galaxy and not even bothering to leave a message is worse than trying to call me on an op." The conversation was grating on her nerves. Normally Spirit was the one sniping weaknesses from afar, but Hope provided a counterpoint to her argument and made it difficult to validate her anger towards the Titan they were going to back up.

In a lifestyle like the Guardians, friendships and love affairs were often as short as they were intense, as the chance of permanent death hung over everyone's heads. Speaking from an economic standpoint, permanent relationships would take out two Guardians instead of one, leaving the one dead and the other unable to go on. That being said, there were a few that thought themselves strong enough to continue should the worst happen, and Spirit and Horst were among those few. There wasn't a complete definition to what was between them, but it was certain that if Horst ventured into the dark and did not return, Spirit would be able to move on.

Eventually.

 _Look at me, distracting myself from one uncomfortable conversation and having another one in my head._ Spirit reprimanded herself. A loud clang filled the hangar as another launching arm was installed, crushing one of the slightly dumb androids in the process. With the new arm attached, the Arcadian was ready to fly. As soon as the mechanical workers cleared the deck, the catapult send the antique ship flying out over the City, where its aged thrusters took over the role of propelling the ship as its pilot guided it into the stratosphere, going off on some mission Spirit barely cared to acknowledge. When the Infinite Sky came up next to leave, the arms retracted fully into the floor and out of her way. Some of the smaller, faster ships required a boost to enter the air after leaving the hangar. Spirit's ship was much more independent, and merely required an open runway. With one hand on the control wheel and the other pressing the thruster forward slightly, Spirit guided the Infinite Sky slowly forward out of the hangar in a gentle hover in contrast to the previous ship's violent departure. Several androids and Guardians watched as she left the wide bay, marveling at the size of the ship and going about their duties. Once the Infinite Sky cleared the hangar bay, Spirit rotated the thrusters full forward and slammed the thrusters to one hundred percent. The ship rattled slightly as her thrusters flared with power, burning the paint of the Tower's wall and sending the large ship upward into orbit with stunning speed.

"I wonder what Horst and Switch are doing right now?" Hope asked idly, not at all impressed by the launch as they climbed into the darkening sky. The atmosphere thinning as they climbed and allowing the deep blue sky bleed into a twinkling blackness, dotted with thousands of distant stars just begging to be explored. Once the climb reached its zenith, the forces enacted upon the Infinite Sky dropped off as they exited Earth's gravitational field. Spirit drew up a flight plan to Mars, the navigational computer adjusting for orbit and travel time as expected with their new warp drive. The numbers and projections displayed on the small screen to Spirit's left made the Hunter's eyebrows rise in surprise. According to the projections, something as trivial as warping to a planet within the same system would take minutes, instead of the three and a half hours a Guardian's ship normally spent crossing the Solar system.

"I don't know, but it had better be important." Spirit muttered, and felt the engines thrum as they fed power to the new warp drive. With another shudder, the stars blurred before them, and the Infinite Sky was thrown across the stars.

* * *

The claw bounced harmlessly off of Horst's armor as he rolled with the strike, spinning to bring Chimera around one handed. The Ursa was powerless to stop the blade from sinking into its shoulder, and even more so to prevent Horst's armored fist from shattering its bone covered face. The force of his blow dislodged Chimera from the Grimm as he sent it flying back, and another slice took down the Beowulf that sought to do what the Ursa could not. As he continued to cut down any Grimm in his path, a red and gold javelin flew past him to pin one head of a King Taijitsu to the trunk of a large tree, the black serpent hissing as it perished. The white head of the Grimm faced where the weapon had come from just in time to take the edge of Pyrra's shield to the face. The dazed surviving head shook itself to regain its senses, allowing the warrior to recall her javelin using her Semblance and drive the blade deep into the Taijitsu's eye herself. The body shuddered and collapsed and began to smoke as the Grimm died, and Pyrra rolled to a her feet as the large corpse landed on the ground. Off to Pyrra's right, Nora and Ren were making short work of a rather persistent Deathstalker, Ren peppering it with fire from Storm Flower while Nora waited for an opening to use Magnhild. A lucky round from Ren found one of the Grimm's many eyes, and the arachnid threw up a claw with a pained screech. Nora seized the opening and rushed forward, her hammer coming down with all the authority of a god as she crushed the scorpion into the ground.

"Professor, when will we have time to grab the flag?" Jaune's voice echoed from behind them. Horst struck down his last Ursa and turned to see Jaune blocking a multitude of strikes from a Beowulf Alpha, claws and bites stopped by unyielding steel as the warrior bided his time waiting for an opening. The Beowulf brought both claws down in a slash that pushed the blonde backward slightly, but had both arms down and open for his return strike. When Jaune's sword flashed through the air, the Beowulf never felt its head disconnect from its body. Jaune was already moving to assist Pyrra with a trio of Boarbatusks, short legged little pig-like Grimm with curved tusks that seemed partial to curling up into rolling balls of slicing hatred, before the Beowulf's corpse hit the ground. Horst jumped backwards into the air and used his Lift to hover for a time, giving him a view of the battlefield. The disintegrating remains of many Grimm covered the landscape, but team JNPR was performing well under the onslaught.

Two days prior, Horst had brought JNPR into the forest of Forever Fall, with the simple goal of collecting five flags from the forest before the end of the week. Despite his clumsiness off the battlefield, Jaune proved himself a competent leader as the four teens split up, quickly locating two flags on the first ay of their excursion. The third flag hung in a large tree thirty meters from where Horst floated, and would have been claimed too had Jaune been quick enough to silence a Beowulf before it could howl. Unfortunately, the distress call brought more Grimm running, even though the blonde ran his sword through the wolf's chest. After that, Jaune had ordered the team to circle up and prepare for attack, instead of grabbing the flag and running. It had turned out to be a wise choice, as several Grimm attacked almost immediately. Horst had only joined in as ten Grimm became fifty very quickly, the assorted creatures following the negative emotions and the sounds of battle.

"I'm just here to make sure you survive the training, Arc. Getting the flags are up to you." Horst chided as he jumped onto a Beowulf's back, breaking it soundly as the beast whined weakly. "Might I suggest grabbing it?" The Titan forced his boot downward on the Beowulf's neck to make sure the job was done, and looked around as something of a lull entered the clearing. Pyrra was putting the last few rounds into a stout Boarbatusk that had been tripped onto its side, while Jaune was moving towards the tree that held the prized golden flag that Horst had planted over the weekend. Nora and Ren looked over the corpse of the Deathstalker they had been fighting. A few Beowulfs and a wounded Ursa inched to the perimeter of the clearing, erring on the side of caution after a considerable number of their friends had been taken out. A few pained growls later, and the onlookers were gone.

Horst gave another cursory glance around, then placed Chimera on his back with a rasp and a click. Jaune collapsed his shield and sheathed his sword as well, eyeing the tree before him as he looked for a way to climb up. Ren and Nora moved closer to the center of the clearing and kept a watchful eye on the surrounding forest, the ever falling leaves providing a trick of the eyes as they scanned the perimeter. That being said, whatever Grimm had survived their slaughter had already quit the field. It seemed that the beasts found wisdom in the term 'Live to fight another day'.

"Hey, Pyrra. Give me a hand here." Jaune jumped a few times in a vain attempt to grasp a branch several feet out of his grasp. Pyrra took a calming breath the settle down from the fighting, then slung Milo and her shield across her back as she went to go help her boyfriend. Jaune offered a pair of joined hands as support, and Pyrra stepped into his hands while stabilizing herself with a grip on the blonde's shoulders. In a joint effort of Jaune lifting and Pyrra jumping, the redhead was sent high into the branches and landed onto a thick support, within reach of the golden flag. Pyrra plucked the pennant from its resting place and held it up in a sort of victory pose.

"We got another one!" She said cheerfully, and Ren and Nora both exchanged high fives, the pink haired valkyrie whooping in excitement. Jaune grinned as well, and caught Pyrra as she jumped from the branches. He gave her a little swing of his own before planting the warrior on her feet, clinging to her form for a few seconds before releasing her. Pyrra smiled in appreciation of the contact and leaned against him, sharing a moment before their training exercise came back to their focus. Horst saw fit to reinforce the impact as he cleared his throat, forcing the two to blush and step away from each other just slightly.

"Well done you lot." Horst applauded. "Two days in, and you're already half done with the objective. I'm impressed." He took the flag from Pyrra and put it in his backpack, which really was just a discrete place for Switch the transmat it away. After what had happened with RWBY, Horst was taking extra precautions to prevent JNPR from getting in on the secret too. It wasn't that he didn't trust the four – they were all skilled and honest, especially for first year students – but the longer the secret was kept from people like Ironwood, the higher the stakes were for those who knew. RWBY was a required party considering that their leader was now a Guardian in training as well as a student of Ozpin's, but everyone else was on a need to know basis.

"Professor, if we finish early, can we go into the city?" Ren asked in his usual calm, serene tone. "If we finish early, I'd like to get to work on a few weapons upgrades." Nora hopped around next to him, hugging Magnhild in grenade launcher form to her chest like a metal teddy bear.

"And I need to get some of those custom dust grenades for my baby! Burn dust plus hammer equals SMASH!" She crowed exuberantly, causing the other four present to take a half step back subconsciously. Horst smiled ruefully at her quirky behavior, and heaved his shoulders upward.

"I don't see why not. That being said, you should focus on the other flags before we start planning a day trip to the city." He chided gently. Internally, he was quite proud that the team had located his pennants so quickly, though it might have irked him somewhat that the flags he'd spend planting all day Sunday after RWBY's training session were being picked up with such ease. It was a good irritation, though.

"Hey, we keep this up and we'll be done by tonight." Jaune added cheerfully. "I'm not afraid to sleep on a mat, but the bed back home is looking pretty good right about now." The blonde had a point; the fighting had not been so terrible that the students were taking significant injuries, but Jaune's and Pyrra's shields were dotted with scrapes and dents and Ren's green outfit was ruffled much more than usual. There was a bit of wear and tear to the team, and for somewhat obvious reasons Pyrra seemed antsy around Jaune. Clearly the partners were looking forward to some alone time.

Jaune and Pyrra's evolving relationship was something of quiet discussion among the faculty, though it was more for gossip than any genuine worry for their well being. JNPR's team dynamic was excellent in all cases, and it was clear that Jaune and Pyrra's relationship was not detrimental to the team. If anything, there was a pool going around about how long Nora and Ren would hold out. Horst himself had no moral ground to judge Pyrra and Jaune considering the tumultuous and amorous relationship Horst shared with Spirit back home, the fact that Pyrra wasn't actively trying to jump Jaune's bones or kill him in the middle of a fight put the young Huntsman-Huntress pair above Horst. The Hunter had almost removed his reproductive bits in the middle of a raid on the Vex Citadel on Venus.

"I agree. That's why I'll offer a slight clue." Horst said with a grin. "The next closest one is in that direction." Horst pointed to the south, in the direction of Beacon. Jaune and Pyrra separated from their close proximity with a shared look and led the way, Nora and Ren close behind and Horst bringing up the rear.

As Horst walked, he felt the familiar feeling of Switch merging with him from the backpack. _The Iron Symphony is tracking an incoming jump from somewhere._ Switch advised urgently. _It doesn't read like a normal warp drive, but whatever is coming is channeling a lot of Light._ Horst nodded minutely to let the Ghost know he understood, but otherwise made no movement to indicate that a voice was speaking to him in his head. The likelihood of Zavala sending back up was small, and his method of getting to Remnant probably wasn't the easiest to replicate. That being said, only the Fallen used warp drives that channeled Light. The Cabal shunned the use of their enemy's power source as a sign of strength, and the Vex used their own planetary network to transport their units. The Hive used their own dark magic to power their transports. So the only choice was Fallen pirates or a Guardian, and there was no indication that the Fallen even knew Remnant existed. Horst could only imagine who had been sent.

 _The ship has reached orbit. Handshake protocols with the Symphony... oh crap oh crap oh crap!_ Switch's voice had a humorous edge to his panic. _Horst, it's the Infinite Sky!_ The Titan stopped walking and looked up, his eyes scanning the sky for any indication of the large ship Spirit had piloted since he had known her. The growing mixture of anxiety and mirthful terror pushed a grin to his face beneath his helmet. If Spirit was indeed the Guardian sent to back him up, the White Fang and the Grimm were about to become very miserable. Horst probably was too, but he looked forward to seeing his amorous rival again. That, and she was going to have a bag of cats once she met Ruby. Suddenly, a much slightly brighter star streamed across the sky, a gleam of light carving a line through the sky as it streaked toward Beacon.

 _I'm sending Hope an updated information packet, since we don't know what reached Earth and what did not. She may want to rendezvous with you immediately._ Switch advised. Horst was about to discreetly tell Switch to send her a message, but an evil, conniving idea came to his mind. Since the flag exercise was falling flat, it was his duty to his students to provide a proper training exercise as well as sharpen the skills of his fellow Guardian.

"Switch, send a message to Spirit to meet me here in the forest. Send her information on JNPR, and send her picture to my scroll." Horst instructed quietly, his distance from the team providing him the privacy he needed. "She's probably got some stress to work out, and we need to stress test this team. I saw RWBY at their best, let's see what Jaune's team can do."

The abstract tittering of a Ghost processing lingered in his ears, and after a moment his scroll pinged as if he was receiving a message. The deception caught Ren and Nora's attention, though Jaune and Pyrra were too far ahead to hear the subtle chime. Horst feigned surprise – not difficult when you are wearing a full head helmet – and opened his scroll. Depicted on the holographic interface was an image of Spirit in full armor, with her Broken Vault cloak billowing behind her as she leaped through the air. In the picture, Thorn was brandished in one hand, Spirit's vicious serrated dagger in the other. The image was very convincing, and likely was taken from memory footage when the two fought across the Cosmodrome. Below was a fabricated story about how she was a known Dust smuggler and a possible contact with the White Fang. Switch's biography was well thought out, detailing a string of petty crimes in Spirit's youth before expanding on a big robbery in Atlas. Horst read over it several times to get his story straight, then looked up to team JNPR.

"Change of plans, people." He said loudly, causing Pyrra and Jaune to stop and walk back toward him. The team looked at him with curious expressions, wondering exactly what had interrupted their training exercise. Horst expanded his scroll, pulling it across his massive chest, where Spirit's image was displayed along with her fake biography and list of crimes. Jaune and Pyrra focused immediately on the image, while Ren examined the stack of prior charges.

"We have a high level fugitive reported in our area. Forget about the flags; we're the nearest Huntsmen and Huntresses near the last reported location. We're going on a manhunt."

* * *

The trip to Remnant was something of a blur to Spirit. Literally. As in, after the flight to Mars checked out (no power couplings detached, the thermal diffusion system made sure they didn't fry, etc.), Spirit keyed up the coordinates and orbit pattern for the planet Horst was scouting out. According to the navigational equipment, she would reach the planet three minutes before she made the jump. Golden Age technology and the theory of relativity clearly had something going on there, she guessed. When she plotted the jump out of the solar system, there was a different effect from the sub light travel. Instead of the starts streaking towards her an a fiery rain of light, space contorted in front of the _Infinite Sky,_ wrapping around the large ship and contorting in ways that made Hope flap her synthetic wings in alarm. It was like the cockpit was suddenly depicting the outside through a fish bowl. The _Infinite Sky_ was not transported through space at a high rate of speed; space was bent and twisted to put the ship right next to its destination. From planet to planet, the flight had taken minutes. Traveling from one star system to another had taken seconds.

"Hope, how are the systems?" Spirit was somewhat breathless as she processed the incredible power of the Golden Age warp drive, though maybe warp drive was an inaccurate description. The raven's head twisted this way and that as she ran diagnostics on the ship. While the Ghost examined the ship's vital signs, Spirit took in the planet that had suddenly appeared below them. It was a pretty blue planet, with an atmosphere evidently very similar to Earth and bearing a similar balance of land and sea. According to the telemetry scans, the planet was just a little bit bigger than Earth, and likely had a larger molten core to sustain its temperature. The moon, however, had been fragmented in some long forgotten battle or possibly from being hit by a comet. For some reason, parts of the moon that had been separated in whatever event had destroyed the celestial being still floated in orbit, refusing to drift away as the planet continued its own journey through space. The stubborn fragments piqued Spirit's interest, but first she had to known whether or not her ship would explode.

"Power and life support fully functional, heat diffusion surprisingly alright. The warp drive isn't giving off any warning either, but I don't think we should jump back so soon. Navigation confirms that we have arrived at our destination, but I am picking up _two_ Ghost signatures, not one." Hope reported. Spirit was relieved to hear that the _Infinite Sky_ was alright, but the presence of another Guardian on the planet made the Hunter frown. Zavala and Cayde both had stressed that Horst had come to Remnant alone, to prevent from the loss of more Guardians should the mission go south. Switch's nav marker indicated that Horst was on the other side of the planet. Spirit fired up the thrusters and sent the _Infinite Sky_ flying towards the horizon, entering the atmosphere at a downward angle to keep her ship from burning up. Smaller ships like the _Iron Symphony_ could enter the atmosphere of a planet like Earth or Remnant easily, but a ship as large as the _Infinite Sky_ generated much more friction than the others, and required a more gradual descent. As such, the clear canopy allowed for a magnificent view of Remnant from above as Spirit streaked across the sky towards their destination. As they flew, holographic displays of regional information – including kingdoms, as she found out – labeled rough approximations of borders as desert, forest, and mountain climates passed by miles below.

"The _Iron Symphony_ is establishing contact, dummy AI handshakes and identifiers." Hope reported, hopping onto the seat in front of Spirit on ceramic claws. "Switch is providing up to date information and requesting communication." Spirit rolled her eyes and nodded.

"Fine, let the little flashlight talk." She relented. Of course Horst would be too busy to greet her himself. A few moments of processing, and then Switch's voice played over the speakers.

"Welcome, my lovely ladies, to Remnant." The Ghost opened extravagantly, and Spirit could have sworn there was computer generated fanfare behind his greeting.

"Where's Horst, Switch? Don't waste my time with your crap. And why is there another Guardian here?" Spirit snapped. In truth, most of her issues with Horst stemmed from his inability to shut up his Ghost's more snarky comments. Spirit's temper was short, and Switch seemed to take uncommon amusement from riling her up and watching Horst take the beating.

"And here I thought you call this way to talk to me." Spirit's eyebrow twitched. "This planet is very much inhabited, though it seems that they came so close to annihilation that they have lost their history. Because of that, space travel is a little beyond them and they firmly believe they are the only humans in the galaxy. So Horst is posing as a teacher at a local combat school and is out on a training mission with a particularly gifted squad of youngsters." A snort escaped Spirit after he said that, her incredulity communicated only in the tone of her voice.

"Horst, a teacher? He goes from being the man from space to some math teacher for snot nosed brats. That's funny." Spirit could not imagine Horst teaching anyone anything – his patience and lack of tact made him a poor shaper of young minds. Not that Guardians had much experience with children anyway.

"Laugh all you want, but the kids are far from snot nosed. The manifestation of the Darkness here has provided the people of this world with a reason to train at a young age, and they have evolved to mimic the Traveler's Light with a similar energy of their own." A note of confusion crept into Switch's tone. "I thought Zavala showed you guys all this already?"

Not one to allow a shouting match at the mention of the current Vanguard leader Spirit hated the most, Hope cut into the conversation.

"I'm afraid he represented the mission somewhat poorly, and we didn't have time for a full briefing." Hope said gently. That was her way of saying that Zavala was a lousy speaker.

"Yeah, he's not good at approaching things carefully. So anyway, on to this training exercise." Switch briefly lamented Zavala's poor choice of words. "Horst is on the level with the local leadership about Earth and the Darkness, but most people aren't exactly 'in the know'. As such, he needs an excuse to introduce a person that not a lot of people know with similar powers to himself. Our solution is this: you participate in the training exercise, establish a rapport with at least one squad of students, and make a name for yourself as an ally of Horst. Once we get back to Beacon, we'll introduce you to the Headmaster and get everyone on the same page." Spirit gripped the controls a little tighter, but nodded in affirmative.

"Alright, we'll play with the training wheels. Send me a drop point, and I'll get in position. I want dossiers on these kids though. I have to know what I'm dealing with." Spirit said through gritted teeth. Why was Horst so hesitant to reveal themselves to a friendly population? The teaching thing kind of made sense – on such a unique mission as this, he would have had to teach them anyway – but keeping everything else under wraps was a mystery to the Hunter. Horst was not one to tiptoe around people, and his uncommon caution made Spirit uneasy. Maybe Remnant had some problems of its own.

"I'm Horst. I'm gonna run around the woods teaching kids how to make campfires." Spirit mocked, dropping her voice down to mimic Horst's deep baritone. The attempt got a laugh out of Hope, and the Light construct fluttered around the cockpit as they banked lower, actually recognizing trees instead of the endless forest. In the distance, a collection of towers indicated the combat school Switch had mentioned earlier, Beacon. Below them, the endless green changed to red as they entered a region known only as Forever Fall, though why it was called such didn't take a detective. The leaves of every tree in the forest were a collection of browns, reds, oranges, and yellows, and a blanket of fallen leaves covered the ground as if the region was permanently stuck in Autumn. Spirit thought it looked beautiful, the myriad of colors and the feeling of time slowing down underneath the boughs of a large tree reminding her of a time when she wasn't dodging bolts of disintegrating energy and executing monsters with lethal precision. Unlike Horst, Spirit had extended memories of her life before she was a Guardian, instead of the vague flashes of color and sound that most Guardians could remember. Only the most experienced Exo Thanatonauts had more complete memories than Spirit, and she didn't have to repeatedly blow her own head off to get them.

"Here we are. I hope you take it easy on them." Hope snapped Spirit out of her reverie as _Infinite Sky_ touched down in the quiet forest. Spirit stood up from the pilot's chair and turned back down into the hallway, toward the cargo bay. Considering that Horst's information advised that the more combat ready inhabitants of Remnant had similar barriers to Guardians, her revolver Thorn most likely wasn't a good choice for a nonlethal mission. The evil contained in the weapon allowed it to pierce its victims and inflict a corrosive energy on all that touched the projectile, and definitely wasn't something to be shooting kids with. Spirit plucked the weapon from her thigh and placed it on a pair of metal studs near the cargo door, one supporting the barrel while the other looped through the trigger well. Instead, she opted for a far less deadly weapon: a bull pup submachine gun made of gray polymer and holographic sights simply referred to as Hard Light. The projectiles fired from the little bullet hose penetrated weaker enemies, but tougher targets such as Hive Knights or even other Guardians could soak up half the magazine with ease. If she kept the fire to short, controlled bursts, Hard Light would be the perfect weapon for a training mission.

Satisfied with her choice, Spirit collapsed the compact little gun and placed it in the middle of her back beneath her cloak and hit the button to lower the blast doors. As natural light flooded the cargo bay, Hope flew from the cockpit and landed on her shoulder.

"Hard Light is a bit of a street sweeper. Are you sure you want to use it?" She asked hesitantly. Spirit smirked and nodded reassuringly.

"I'm not going to kill them, but I'm not going easy on them either. If they are indeed training for a life of fighting, then I have one heck of a lesson for them." The cargo bay doors closed behind them, and Hope disappeared in a flutter of feathers as Spirit ran into the woods.

* * *

Jaune tried to keep the mental image of the target in his head, but his thoughts were running a mile a minute. This wanted criminal had escaped Atlesian authorities, and Horst expected a bunch of students to take her down? Although, Horst's response to that question had filled Jaune with some sense of pride. _Good thing you're not Atlesian, then._ Earning the respect of the man that was quickly becoming the most popular professor at Beacon would be high praise for JNPR, as well as Jaune himself. He and Pyrra looked up to Horst, and they refused to disappoint him now.

That being said, finding someone that didn't want to be found in a forest as large as Forever Fall was a difficult task. Thankfully, they had a direction of travel and a place where the criminal had last been seen. Apparently, a couple of fishermen had recognized her near the western edge of the forest, and she had threatened them for food. That meant that she would head to the nearest population center, which meant Vale was her next target. From the location that she had been sighted, Horst had drawn a line from the most recent sighting to the border of the city. Once that line was established on the map, the team made their way to the nearest point on that line and set up an interdiction stop. Because of Milo's rifle form, Jaune had Pyrra take up position in the higher branches of a tree, keeping watch for the fugitive from afar. Nora and Jaune stayed beneath the tree where Pyrra was on the lookout. Ren was placed further ahead, where his speed and close combat expertise would allow him to stop and distract the criminal until the rest of the team arrived for help. It was all Jaune's idea, and the pressure of a real operation lingered in the back of his mind. The terrible possibility of failure was only a better outcome than his teammates getting hurt, and everything was riding on his ability to plan and adjust as the situation played out. His only reassurance was the fact that Horst had not corrected or interrupted him when he formed the plan.

The team had taken their positions and waited for nearly an hour now, patiently watching for any sign of their quarry. Horst had withdrawn a short distance behind them and was communicating with someone, likely Vale PD or some other official to update on their progress. His deep voice carried weakly from the distance he had gone, but no one could tell his exact words. The team had their scrolls active and were communicating with each other anyway, so Horst's conversation was irrelevant.

Just as Jaune was starting to get bored, Pyrra tapped her transmit button twice, a signal that she had seen something. The blonde looked across the somewhat clear path in the trees to Nora, who was hiding behind a boulder mostly out of sight. His own tree had a large enough trunk that he could hold both arms out and still not be seen from the other side. Nora nodded and offered a thumbs up, indicating that she had heard.

 _"Possible contact ahead, thirty meters to Ren's left. Movement in the trees above the road."_ Pyrra reported quietly, her voice finding their ears as they strained to hear her and remain hidden. Ren clicked his button twice to confirm that he had heard, and then there was nothing but silence. The tense moments spent waiting grated on his nerves, but they had to wait for Ren to make contact before they backed him up. If they went to his position as soon as he acknowledged, the target could slip past them as they moved. Jaune adjusted his grips on Crocea Mors and listened intently, waiting for the signal.

 _"Stop right there!"_ Ren's loud command over the quiet communication channel startled the Jaune and Nora, and the sound of Storm Flower firing over the channel forced their decision.

"Nora, Pyrra, move!" Jaune yelled away from the radio, Ren's sounds of combat compromising any chance of clear communication anyway. A rustle of leaves from above signaled Pyrra's descent, and he and Nora started running from their place on the ground. A loud thud behind him and pounding footsteps reassured Jaune that Pyrra was right behind him.

"Pyrra, take the lead!" Jaune said urgently, casting a glance behind him only to see a flash of red and gold as the warrior took passed himself and Nora and led the way to where she had seen the fugitive engage Ren. A million shades of red and orange flew past as the three charged towards their troubled teammate, and a trio of white projectiles bounced off of Pyrra's shield just as they came to the bottom of a rocky ridge. Several Grimm – a few Beowulfs and one really unlucky Ursa – were already disintegrating into black dust as Ren leaped from boulder to boulder as he avoided the rapid fire from an armored woman, a heavy cloak waving behind her as she followed him with matching agility, almost grace. To make matters worse, the rounds fired from the strange weapon she used _bounced_. Every surface struck by the projectiles burned black, and then the glowing white orbs would deflect off of the surface and continue on like a deadly bounce ball.

Ren cartwheeled through the air to avoid another volley and dropped behind cover as the rest of JNPR made the scene, Pyrra already offering support from the rifle form of Milo. Her shots found their marks, but the woman they were hunting clearly had Huntress training – her armor absorbed what her Aura did not. The shots did attract the woman's attention, however, and Pyrra's stance of firing from behind her shield payed out as more white orbs bounced off of the bronze shield. With the fugitive's attention divided, Nora and Jaune closed the distance as Ren left his protective cover. With three melee focused attackers pressing in, the woman backtracked and jumped toward the rock face, looking to climb up as she did. To JNPR's surprise, she vanished in a flash of blue light with a strange hum, and reappeared at the top in another flash of light. As the teens stared after her for a moment in shock at the strange ability, the masked woman turned and ran, fleeing back in the direction she had come from. Jaune snapped out of his daze and gestured with his sword.

"Come on, we have to head her off!" The team was already in motion, Nora firing Magnhild while in hammer form and flying ahead as the other three ran up the hillside. When Nora reached the top, she brought the hammer down to crush the seemingly unsuspecting criminal as she tried to escape. Jaune lost sight of the orange haired girl and could hear a melee going down, with fast physical thuds that did not sound like Nora's hammer. Jaune crested the hill first, and rewarded with Nora's back slamming into his nose. The knight caught his teammate and slid back a few paces from the force of the throw. He set the girl down and looked up, just in time to watch Magnhild slam into his chest, sending both Jaune and Nora flying after the fugitive threw the hammer head first at them like a javelin.

While Jaune and Nora bounced down the hill in a painful roll, Ren and Pyrra closed in and fought from opposite sides, forcing the armored woman to block and dodge and not giving her the breathing room to take aim. Realizing this, the criminal blocked a slash from Storm Flower with a block overhead, then shoved the bladed gun sideways and attached her weapon to her back as her cloak fluttered through the air. In the same motion, she drew a vicious, obsidian colored dagger from her thigh and blocked a strike from Pyrra. Now appropriately armed for a close fight, the criminal gained ground despite the fact that she was outnumbered. She parried or diverted Ren's faster, more dangerous slashes and kicks, placing her hands on his wrists and shoving him away and off balance, allowing her to focus on Pyrra for a few precious seconds. The warrior had Milo in its sword form and was pressing the attack, her shield allowing her to make more aggressive moves without the fear of retaliation that Ren had. Pyrra sent three quick slashes toward the fugitive's head, the first two ducked and the last blocked by the strange dagger. The armored woman tucked her blade into her wrist and trapped Milo, then stepped into Pyrra's guard and slammed her elbow into the inside of the shield with a metal clang. The shield left Pyrra's grip and she was forced to release Milo as well. The criminal brought her arm forward and sent a back fist into Pyrra's face, sending her backpedaling and blocking the woman's strikes with an open hand. Once Pyrra was clear of immediate danger, the air hummed as she used her magnetic Semblance to call her weapons to her, snatching them out of the air in time to block a downward slash. Pyrra gritted her teeth and kicked out from behind her shield, the blow glancing off of the fugitive's instep and causing her to stumble. Pyrra kicked low again and managed to trip the woman, but she rolled forward and away as her cloak obscured Pyrra's view for a moment. The ploy almost worked, were it not for Ren stepping in to stop the woman from burying her dagger into Pyrra's side, Storm Flower's curved blade holding the knife inches from Pyrra's armored corset.

Once the woman saw that her ploy had failed, she sent a side kick from her kneeling position into Ren's gut and stood up. Ren stumbled back with a grunt, giving the woman enough breathing room to flash away. She landed several meters away from the two, and directed a vicious rain of punches and kicks into Jaune's waiting shield. The knight's wider and taller kite shield proved more effective at taking the blows than Pyrra's hoplite shield, and he weathered the storm of physical attacks while his teammates closed in. The woman saw that her assault was fruitless and hooked a foot behind Jaune's planted right leg. She pulled back and pushed on his shield, sending him to the ground with a surprised yelp. With his shield now facing the sky, the woman jumped on top of it – forcing the shield into his gut with her weight – and catapulted into the air, before disappearing in another spark of blue light. Jaune groaned from the ground as his teammates all looked around for some sign of the strange woman. The forest whispered quietly as wind gently shook the branches, but there was no sign of their target. Had she gotten away?

"Where did she go?" Jaune wondered loudly. The others scanned the forest silently, fanning out without response as they all looked for any sign of the armored woman. They continued looking for the woman, until a large metal clang echoed from off to the group's right. The fugitive they had fought so hard against came flying from afar, cloak fluttering in the wind as she fell through the air. She struck a boulder and bounced off with a pained grunt, the rest of the energy from her fall sending her tumbling back down the ridge. The silver armored form of Horst followed her down the hill, Chimera in his right hand as he ran. When the woman reached the bottom of the hill, Horst jumped down toward her to drop a knee into her back. Just before he made contact, however, the woman spun her legs around, the first foot pushing his descending knee away from her body and the second catching him in the chin. The Titan took the blow in stride and brought Chimera down to eviscerate the woman, but she had already regained her feet and was staring him down from two paces away, her knees bent slightly and her black dagger held horizontally in a reverse grip.

"Stay back, students." Horst barked. "She's a little too advanced for you." Jaune and Pyrra rushed to one side of the squared off adults, Ren and Nora coming from the other side. Even if this strange woman managed to defeat Horst, she was still properly surrounded. The two circled each other for a few more tense moments, neither wanting to make the first move. Horst took a false step forward, little more than a shuffle, but it was enough to entice the woman to bring her back foot forward into a strong kick. The Titan took the blow with the side of his blade, reinforcing his grip with his other hand pressed against the metal as well. The woman continued her rotation and sent a roundhouse kick into the blade, sending it veering off to the side and wrenching Horst's wrist. Horst stepped forward and changed the grip on his sword to compensate for the torque, holding his blade in a reverse grip as it hit the ground. His spinning back fist clipped the woman as she was unable to duck under it in time, and it made her attempt to slash him from crotch the armpit clumsy and do nothing more than send a shower of sparks off of his thick armor. Horst grabbed the hoot of the woman's cloak and pulled her backward, bringing his blade up behind her as he used her own garment to entrap her. The woman twisted in his grip, and did something he did not expect: she reared back from downtown and booted him right between the legs with the most powerful kick she had used the entire fight.

"Oh!" His strangled cry made Ren and Jaune flinch with immense sympathy towards their teacher as he dropped his sword, both hands protectively covering his abused nuts as he sank to his knees. The woman sheathed her dagger on her thigh and tapped on Horst's helmet.

"I told you before: touch the cloak, and bad things happen." She said in a warning tone, and smacked his head to the side for extra measure. The Titan didn't resist the smack and fell over onto the ground, his foot twitching in the air as he could do nothing more than groan pitifully. The woman looked down at his pathetic form and shook her head before turning and facing the surprised team of students.

"First rule of warfare, kids: if you fight fair, you fight to lose." She said loudly, her hands on her hips. Jaune and the others looked between each other skeptically. Wasn't this woman some criminal they were supposed to bring in? Why was she giving them advice?

"Uh, professor? What's going on here?" Jaune asked, the recipient of his question still groveling on the ground. The Titan placed a hand on the ground and pushed himself up, still taking deep breaths as he struggled to articulate his explanation.

"Flags weren't working. Old training partner. Team mechanics. Oh..." A few more shaky breaths were required, before he could continue. "She cooked up a back story that you would believe, and evaluated your combat efficiency." The helmeted woman shook her head at his antics and looked back the students.

"My name is Spirit, and I have known Horst for a long time. Although, the last time I saw him he was not a professor." She stressed the title as she looked back at the prostrate Titan, whose only response was another pitiful groan. "You guys performed very well, but Ms. Valkyrie was a little too eager to get into the fight." Nora rubbed her head sheepishly at that, and they all put their weapons away. Pyrra was the last the place hers on her back, and she raised an eyebrow questioningly.

"So, all of this was just some training exercise? Why couldn't I divert your dagger with my Semblance?" Pyrra asked. She had tried several times to force Spirit to overextend herself with subtle pushes of magnetism, but the dagger had refused the call of her powers. Spirit pulled the dagger from her thigh and tossed it in the air a few times.

"Not all weapons are made of metal, Ms. Nikos. Ceramic and other hard materials aren't as flexible or easy to repair as steel, but there are still those that employ such unorthodox methods. This particular knife is made of bone." The black blade had no polished gleam to it, just the wicked serrated edge that promised pain if it so much as nicked you. Pyrra nodded with a muted 'I see' and left it there.

Horst took a few more deep breaths and slowly rose to his feet, discreetly channeling his Light to mend whatever damage Spirit had done. The dull ache ebbed slowly, and his voice no longer had the high after tone to it.

"You all performed just as I have expected for this trip, both against Grimm and human opponents. I'd say that concludes our training exercise." He tossed a thumb back towards where they had come from. "Go pack up camp, and the five of us will walk back to Beacon. Tomorrow, we'll make a trip into the city." Team JNPR shared small smiles at Horst's praise, though Jaune and Pyrra were still a little put out over getting their butts handed to them by a single woman, even if she was someone on Horst's level. Still, they had completed their training exercise early, and would be back at Beacon soon enough for a four day weekend. Together, JNPR walked back in the direction of camp, while Horst and Spirit watched them go. Once the teens were out of sight, Spirit looked over at Horst.

"You alright?" She asked, genuinely worried about the damage that kick might have done. I mean, he touched the cloak and paid for it, but she had plans now that her frustrations were worked out and the two were reunited. Horst nodded shakily and heaved a relieved sigh.

"I am, thank the Traveler. I will never ever complain about the healing properties of Light." He said with a chuckle. "But to be honest, I'd rather catch up aboard the _Infinite Sky_." Spirit nodded at that and turned toward the east, where her large ship had landed.

"Fair enough. It's this way." With that, she led Horst through the forest, both of them keeping a decent pace as the light slowly died in the sky, painting the sky a magnificent wash of reds and oranges that matched the trees that swayed gently above them. As they walked, Horst updated Spirit on his adventures since he had come to Remnant, and spoke at length about his new students. When he told her about Ruby and how she had become a Guardian, Spirit had been shocked.

"I don't know much about Oryx, but he can't be pleased that we snatched a Ghost away from him." Horst chuckled. Spirit went quiet as he said that, and Horst immediately realized that something was wrong.

"While you've been gone, Oryx has taken a keen interest in our system." Spirit said sadly. "We're losing Guardians left and right, and not just the newbies and the foot soldiers. Stov and Jerrell were the first casualties reported. Jax and Morrigan went missing, and no one has heard from them in months." Spirit looked down in sadness. "Oryx specifically targeted members of our raiding team. And it looks like you and I are the only ones left." The discussion took a dark turn fast, and the emotions Horst had wrestled with back in the hospital wing came back full force as the two walked. The loss of his friends still hit him hard, no matter how much he preached that a Guardian should accept death as a hazard of the job. The knowledge still that the Taken King was specifically seeking out those that had been responsible for Crota's death worried him as well, in a sense that perhaps the Taken would seek out Remnant, long before he had them prepared for the coming war. As Spirit's ship came into sight, the rest of the walk went by in silence until the Hunter keyed the cargo bay door to open. As the large hatch lowered itself, Horst and Spirit looked at each other morosely, neither saying anything as the loud mechanics would drown out any words spoken. Once the door was down, the two walked through the cargo bay and into the living area, a smaller hatch cutting off the sound of the cargo door immediately. The sudden silence was more calming than anything, and Horst looked around at the familiar living space and relaxed. It wasn't that Beacon was unsafe or anything, but this was the first time he'd been home in months. Looking around at the fabricated living space and the soft textures of the almost luxury style warship put Horst at ease more than a good night's sleep.

So caught up was Horst in enjoying the taste of home that he didn't hear the subtle his of air escaping as Spirit removed her goggled helmet. When he turned to look at her, she was already unclasping her cloak and hanging it up on a single golden stud near the bedroom. Spirit's hair was cut short in a pixie cut, and was as white as snow. Her thick locks of hair were trimmed neatly to fit into her helmet, and she turned to face him with a coy smile on her lips. Very light blue skin and white hair signified that she was one of the Awoken, like Zavala. Her eyes blazed golden with an inner light, it seemed, and her soft features and thin, defined cheekbones always made Horst pause whenever he saw her without her helmet. The Titan raised his hands and removed his helmet as well, that familiar rush running through him as she sashayed toward him from the door, the movement of her hips hypnotizing him almost out of habit more than anything.

"I think we should take care of your cover before we do-" Horst didn't have time to finish before Spirit leaned up and captured his lips with her own. The Titan tried and failed to relent before his large arms encircled her smaller frame, returning the kiss with as much fervor as she had started. The two held the lip lock for some time before they finally separated, his mismatched eyes gazing into her burning coals.

"I didn't bring you here to discuss a cover story." She whispered huskily, and hooked her fingers in between his under suit and chest plate. Horst didn't resist in the slightest as she pulled him to the bedroom, and the door slid shut without command. For nearly an hour (they did have a team of students to return to, after all) Horst indulged in the familiar sense of home and belonging that was his amorous teammate, and was reminded just how flexible Hunters were.

* * *

That ending is more of a placeholder than anything. I know those two very open sentences don't adequately portray a scene of hot and steamy sex, but I'm still unsure on whether or not I should attempt a lemon. If I did, it would be the first one I ever wrote, and I don't know if I even want to succeed. There are those of us that write in the steamy romance for plot development and a break from stupid and serious. But there are others that write it for exclusive fapping material. Not that there's anything wrong with that, I just do not have that goal for this story.


	11. Chapter 11

Some peeps mentioned that there wasn't a lot of coverage on team RWBY's reaction to their leader getting skewered and respawning. Fair point, answered in this one. Plus, I gotta hand it to RT on this one, that slice of an episode had me clapping. Oh God that hurt. Anyway, a lot of planning nd talking in this one, pretty much setting up for the next chapter to be all missions, a little bit of fun, and a twist at the end. If the little liberty I've taken with the Destiny universe works out, I may be taking artistic liberty with RWBY and JNPR's futures.

* * *

 **Chapter 11**

The week spent going to normal classes after the particularly transforming field trip Horst had taken on wasn't boring. Or rather, they weren't all sitting around bored. Instead, Yang was afflicted with random bouts of rage, usually whenever she saw Ruby moping around. Ruby herself was still taking her semi-immortal state hard, the traumatizing way Horst had killed her really haunting her dreams. The normally bubbly girl had been quiet and reserved for the first three days of class, and it wasn't helping Yang's mood at all.

Weiss and Blake found themselves tending to the sisters, Weiss attempting to bring Ruby out of her shell and Blake doing her best to prevent Yang from hunting Horst down and killing him. Not that it would matter, but the sight of her dear little sister so shaken and reclusive made Yang's blood boil, and the walls of their dorm room sported a few new scorch marks as a result. Blake was doing her best to keep the fiery blonde in check, but she understood why Horst's actions were necessary. The little heart to heart they had shared made it clear that Horst was no stranger to death and failure, and that he was only doing what was best for Ruby. Yang, unfortunately, had not been a part of that conversation.

The standard outline of the day was that the team would attend classes, and then Ruby would slink off to their dorm for an hour during lunch until they would finish the schedule. While Weiss tagged along to try and raise the red head's spirits, Blake and Yang almost exclusively avoided the dorm. Blake would take Yang to the library or the training room and let the blonde vent, something that Yang had grudgingly thanked her for on several occasions. Yang continued to endure a hot quick temper all week, and by Thursday Blake's own patience was wearing thin.

As Ruby slowly made her way back to the dorm, Weiss tapped her on the shoulder and offered her best fake smile. Because of her experience in the business world as a Schnee, her faux grins were usually pretty convincing.

"Hey, I have an idea." She said cheerfully, stepping in front of Ruby to halt her quiet drudge from classroom to dorm. "Why don't we head down to the kitchens and talk to Mario? I'm sure he'll have some advice, and probably some cookies." Weiss said, putting special emphasis on the cookies. Ruby's mouth tugged to the side in an attempt at a smile, but she pulled her hood back up and brushed past her teammate in a sulk.

"Mario and Luigi will be too busy to talk." She said lowly, and continued on. Weiss gritted her teeth and refrained from smacking some random passing student, and chased the reaper down. When she stepped in front of Ruby again, a more natural and honest frown marred her scarred face.

"You have done nothing but sulk and pout since Sunday!" Weiss scolded, and Ruby did not respond. "Your team is worried, your sister is having a fit, and you actually think that Mario wouldn't drop what he was doing and talk to you? Ruby Rose, you are going to that kitchen, and there's nothing you can do about it." With that, Weiss grabbed her leader's hand and started marching resolutely towards the cafeteria. Ruby wasn't prepared for the sudden change in direction, and had no choice but to follow along as Weiss half pulled, half dragged her to the kitchens. Three hallways and an open courtyard later, the two pushed through the doors of the kitchen and into the hustle and bustle of the lunchtime rush. All over the kitchens, assistance mechs and cooks barked orders and carried ingredients, dirty dishes, and fresh meals up and down the main staircase that led to the cafeteria. In the midst of it all, Mario was waving his large arms and talked in an animated fashion, his jolly voice distinctly heard over the clang of pots and pans. Luigi directed the workers in a much quieter fashion, bringing each mech or person over and whispering instructions before gently pushing them on their way. Together, the two brothers in red and green orchestrated controlled chaos as the staff attempted and succeeded to feed four schools' worth of students. Despite their intrusion into the kitchens, uniformed staff only took slight adjustment to weave around the two Huntresses in training.

Weiss waited patiently for a lull in the rancor of clashing plates and hissing steam before she dragged Ruby over to where Mario was directing, the scythe wielder's hand still clutched in an iron grip. The stout mustachioed man did not notice the two out of place students at first, and continued to corral his culinary crusade (BONUS POINTS) while waving a ladle like a conductor's wand. Weiss finally reached the man after pulling Ruby underneath a bowl of soup so large it required two assistance mechs to carry. Once she did stand next to him, Weiss tugged on the man's inexplicably clean apron, then pushed Ruby in front of her just as Mario turned to look.

"Ruby! So good to see you again!" The stout man crowed, and ruffled the reaper's hair roughly and flipped her hood down. "How have your classes been going?" Ruby went to reply, but the memory of Horst ramming his blade through her stomach superimposed itself over Mario's smiling face for a split second, robbing her of her voice. Weiss noticed the hesitation, as did Mario, and she stepped forward to Ruby's side.

"I'm afraid Ruby had a rough training course this past weekend, and it's got her down. I figured a trip to the kitchens and maybe a few cookies would help her out." Weiss explained. Mario's wide smile disappeared under his bushy, yet impeccably combed mustache, and he waved to his brother over the din of the mid day meal.

"Luigi, make sure the chile con carne doesn't burn. I'm stepping out for a minute." The taller, thinner man nodded and moved to cover his brother's absence, edging toward a ridiculously large brewing pot nearly as tall as he was. With his duties temporarily taken care of, Mario grasped Ruby's hand in his own and gently led her through the tables and rushing people, the later of which making way for the head chef almost by instinct. Weiss struggled to keep up behind them, catching her foot on more than a few bustling strides as they saw fit not to extend her the same courtesy.

Mario pulled Ruby into the office near the entrance to the kitchens, which was hidden behind a wooden door with a clouded glass window. After Weiss slipped in behind them, he closed the door quietly, the small partition doing wonders to reduce the loud ruckus of food preparation just on the other side. Now that they could speak without having to make themselves heard over an army of cooks, Mario briefly left the two teens to bring a pair of wooden chairs from deeper into his office. As they stood in the small hallway, Ruby and Weiss could see three doorways further down the hall that seemed to lead into two personal offices, likely Mario's and Luigi's, and what looked like a bathroom in the back. Mario brought the chairs from a small closet at the dead end of the hallways and ushered the girls into the doorway onto the right. It lead into a brightly lit, medium sized office with a ceiling fan and a lamp on a large oak desk cast a warm golden glow around the room. On the walls, bulletin boards on either side were pinned with a collage of recipes, shipping invoices, and photographs from all over Remnant, the most noticeable being one of a very attractive blonde woman in a regal pink and purple dress giving a blushing Mario a kiss on his nose, with a large cake in the background. Written on the bottom right edge of the photo was a message, written in elegant handwriting: _Thank you for your help!_ A signature below it looked like the signer's name was Peach.

As Ruby and Weiss continued to take in the office, Mario quickly set the two chairs down in front of his large desk, and then stepped around it to take his place in a comfortable black leather chair, resting his arms comfortably for a moment before gesturing towards the chairs he had brought in.

"Please, ladies. Have a seat." His offer snapped the two out of their observing trance, and they sat down in the chairs he had provided with a quiet word of thanks. Mario adjusted in his seat and leaned forward across his desk, closing out the small holographic reminders to focus on the two girls that had come to him for help. As silence fell over the room, it became awkwardly obvious that neither Ruby nor Weiss were eager to start the conversation. So, Mario turned to Ruby with a worried expression.

"Here I am, working my fingers to the bone down here in these kitchens, and my good friend Ruby hasn't come to see me. And then, when she finally does, she wears a long face and does not make the kitchen shine like she usually does." Mario waved his hands dramatically, earning a small snicker from Ruby. "What is the matter, my little cherry? What has the brightest smile in Vale so blue?" Weiss had to admit, Mario was good at guilting answers out of people. Ruby looked over at Weiss, and the heiress nodded in what she could only hope was interpreted as encouragement.

"Well, I haven't been down here because our team went on a week long mission in the Emerald Forest. After that, our professor decided to start up special classes. During one of our training sessions, I kind've got...hurt." Ruby refused to elaborate both because of the painful memories of her death, as well as the fact that she didn't know how aware Mario was to the particulars of Horst's origins. Well, they were her origins too now, she guessed. Mario nodded in understanding a sat back in his chair.

"Ah, I think I see. You took a bad fall in training, and now the world you thought you knew seems a little tougher, doesn't it?" Before Ruby's furrowed brow and sharp retort could uncharacteristically leap from her, Mario pointed to his right, at another bulletin board. "Look up there, Ruby. Did you think I have been a chef my whole life?"

Reluctantly, Ruby looked up at the bulletin board and noticed that hardly any of the pictures seemed to be related to cooking. In one of them, Mario and Luigi stood in front of an immense castle, holding up two fingers and smiling broadly. Another, grainier photo showed Mario in a white doctor's coat, his arms stained with blood as he moved from patient to patient in what looked like a hastily erected medical tent. A third photo showed Mario tearing through a tool box in frustration, while a chuckling Luigi stood closer to the camera holding a pipe wrench. From the looks of things, Mario had only recently become a cook. Unnoticed before, a stethoscope hung from a larger pushpin over a medical degree from the Mistral Medical Arts college, a prestigious academy for non-Huntsmen, from what Pyrrha would talk about her home town. As Ruby looked at all the memories Mario had spent a lifetime making, her indignation slowly faded as she admitted that Mario might know what he was talking about.

"I have tried and failed to do more things than you have ever succeeded in doing. During the Silverback push in Atlas, I spent a considerable amount of time tending to the wounded, trying to save lives that had already been taken. After peace came to Remnant following the Faunus War, I traveled the land with my brother and got into all sorts of trouble. We even spent some time as plumbers to a very troublesome castle." Mario rolled his eyes as he recalled that particularly trying endeavor. "But the point I'm trying to make is this: in everything I did, there was someone or something out to make me fail. Sometimes they succeeded, other times they did not. But no matter how many patients I lost or how many turtles managed to get lodged in sewer pipes, I always gave my very best." Weiss had the good grace to cover her mouth as she snickered, though Mario chuckled as well.

"You had turtles getting stuck in pipes?" She asked incredulously, and Mario laughed loudly.

"Princess, you have no idea how much damage a slow moving turtle can do to a complex waste removal system." He said seriously, though the grin never left his face. "There was a particularly nasty snapping turtle Luigi nicknamed Bowser, because of how often we had problems with the infernal thing. That same turtle caused more problems over the years than any Grimm in existence." Mario turned and pointed a finger at Ruby. "You came down here your first day telling me all about how you were going to save the world, and make a career out of helping people. You said you got hurt really badly, but I don't see any wounds on you. Are you saying that what happened this weekend will stop you from being the heroine you always wanted to be?" Ruby shifted uncomfortably at the direct line of questioning, but she didn't answer immediately. The memory was still firm in her head, unyielding and surprising her at times. But Mario was right: she was still there. Granted, she had LITERALLY died and been brought back to life, but clearly there were no long lasting effects.

"I guess it wasn't so bad. I mean, I walked out faster than I walked in." She admitted with an nervous laugh, and Mario's smile returned.

"I didn't say it wasn't bad. Never belittle the things that have tried to stop you. Because so long as they fail, they can be as big as the moon. And you can take comfort in the fact that you didn't let it stop you." Mario stood up and walked around the desk. "I'll be right back."

As the stout man turned the corner, Weiss and Ruby heard the door leading back out into the kitchens open and close, briefly exposing them to the hustle and bustle of the staff as they worked to liekly wash a million and a half dishes. While they waited, Weiss offered a genuine, supportive smile, much unlike the one she had worn when she had first dragged Ruby down to the kitchens.

"You see? We're not trying to tell you that it was no big deal. But you shouldn't let this one scary thing stop you from being the absolute best you can be." Weiss' grin falter a bit, and she shifted uncomfortably. "It's also made your sister a little hard to handle as of late." Ruby actually laughed at that, and nodded in agreement.

"Ever since Mom died, she's always been really protective of me. Sometimes I have to remind myself that she's my sister, and we may need to snap her out of it." Ruby said, a sad smile on her face as she remembered the times Yang would read to her, or fix dinner when their father was late coming home. The maternal affection that Yang had showered her in her youth had been one of the main reasons Ruby was so happy and outgoing; from the way Yang painted the world, there were so many fun things to do and so many heroic deeds to perform. Her training with Horst dampened that slightly, but there was also the lingering fact that it was going to be really difficult for her to stay down. The Grimm wouldn't be able to handle her now.

Before Ruby could continue, the rattle and clang of the kitchens assaulted their ears once more before it ceased again, and Mario turned the corner with a plate piled high with freshly baked cookies. Ruby's eyes turned to stars as she drooled at the perfectly shaped, steaming pile of confectionery godhood. Weiss rolled her eyes and accepted an offered cookie with the grace and poise that had been beaten into her head from a young age. Ruby, ever the cookie monster, simply devoured every other delicious chocolate chip morsel Mario had brought. As the reaper devoured his plate of sweets, Mario leaned against the door frame and chuckled while he watched her destroy the warm, melted goodness that were cookies. Once she was done with her genocide, Ruby wiped a few stray crumbs from the corner of her mouth, and then was mortified as a loud belch escaped her. Weiss sent a reprimanding glare her way, but Mario's loud belly laughs drowned out any disapproval they might have had.

"Now that's the little hero I know and love! Full of spirit and ready to take on a pack of Grimm or a platter of cookies any day!" Mario said with a beaming smile, gleaming teeth visible from under his excellent mustache (seriously, it must have been meticulously combed and brushed. Just an excellent 'stache). Weiss nodded her support as well, though she had only just finished her cookie and felt it was improper to speak with a full mouth.

"Thanks Mario." Ruby said sheepishly. "I'm sorry I came down here all doom and gloom on you." Mario waved off her apology, setting the crumb covered cookie platter onto his desk and shrugging.

"If I have done anything to brighten my little cherry's day, then it is time well spent. Besides, from what Glynda told us, your training is going to be especially tough this year. We have to be ready for the Vytal Festival." Mario said with a wink. The mention of the Festival made Mario's brow furrow in thought, and he smacked his forehead in frustration. " _Mama Mia_ , I forgot about the banquet we are supposed to be preparing for. I am sorry, girls, but I must get back to work. Glynda will have my whiskers if I don't have everything ready." Ruby and Weiss both stood up as Mario walked out the door, his brown shoes clicking against the dark tiles as he rushed to the door.

"No worries Mario. Thanks for the cookies, and we'll be back soon." Ruby said with a grin and a wave. Weiss thanked the chef as well, and they both walked out quickly as Mario closed the door behind them, rushing back into the kitchen before Luigi could finish putting everything up. Weiss and Ruby exchanged grins and walked out of the swinging doors that led into the kitchens, and nearly bumped into Glynda Goodwitch. The blonde professor halted in her march immediately upon recognizing the two students, and Weiss stopped instantly as well. Ruby was still looking behind them into the kitchen, and bumped into Weiss on accident.

"Ms. Schnee, Ms. Rose." Glynda greeted neutrally, a single finger pushing her glasses further up her nose as she looked down on the two slightly shorter Huntresses. Weiss elbowed Ruby in the side, and together the two waved awkwardly.

"Hello, Professor Goodwitch." Weiss said respectfully. "What brings you down to the kitchens?" Glynda gave the girls another once over before bothering to reply.

"I was told that you two had come down here, and Professor Ozpin wishes to see the both of you in his office." Glynda huffed slightly, as if annoyed by the topic. "Apparently, Professor Horst has more information on the Guardians that he would like to share with you." Ruby perked up at the mention of the Guardians, a change in behavior clear to both professor and teammate as she grinned widely.

"Alrighty then, professor! We'll head straight there." Ruby said enthusiastically, and this time it was Ruby tugging Weiss through the school as the two dashed up the hall and out the door, towards the main tower. Glynda watched the two disappear around the corner, then pushed her way through the swinging doors into the kitchen. Just because she had found the two Ozpin was looking for, that didn't mean she couldn't get a little pie while she was down there, did it?

Ruby and Weiss climbed the weird ascending staircase that led to Professor Ozpin's office quickly. When the door opened, they found the room almost full of people. Professor Ozpin was seated behind his desk, and Professor Horst stood off to his side with another, unknown woman in full armor that vaguely resembled Horst's own garb. The wolf crest on her chest piece was a nice touch though. Arrayed on the other side of the desk was team JNPR, as well as the other half of team RWBY. Blake saw the peppy way that Ruby entered the room and allowed one of her small, knowing smiles to appear. Yang saw them come in, but it seemed that the return of Ruby's happy demeanor did little to alleviate her obvious annoyance. The blonde was covered in a grimy sheet of dust and sweat, and it was clear that the two had been in the gym when summoned. Team JNPR seemed completely clueless on what all was going on, but their presence in the meeting surely meant that some minds were about to be blown.

"Come in, Ms. Rose, Ms. Schnee. We were just about to get started." Ozpin greeted. The two walked over to join the rest of RWBY, the red head standing next to her sister and giving the blonde a wink of reassurance. Yang smirked back in return, but her frown soon replaced it. Curious at her sister's behavior, Ruby inched over toward Blake and leaned toward the Faunus.

"What's wrong with Yang?" She whispered, and Ozpin began a summary of Remnant's history to set the stage for the bomb it looked like they were about to drop on JNPR. Blake leaned over as well.

"We were in the gym hitting things when her scroll buzzed and it stopped her music. One of the weight bags exploded and sand went everywhere. She literally has sand in her shorts." Blake explained. Ruby stifled a giggle at that, and Yang growled as she overheard the conversation.

"...but what if we came from somewhere else, from another place in the galaxy? Is that entirely out of the question?" Ozpin finished his expository history lesson, and Jaune looked at his teammates in surprise before he turned back to the professors.

"So, what? You're saying we're descendant from aliens or something?" He said it with a nervous chuckle, but the entirely serious stare that Ozpin returned to him made the blonde knight swallow in trepidation. Pyrrha and Nora shared in his incredulity, while Ren merely stared back, his gaze flickering over Ruby and Horst from time to time. Ozpin narrowed his eyes at JNPR, then turned to Horst.

"I believe that there is someone better suited than I to tell this tale. Switch?" Horst nodded and held up his hand in the standard summoning pose, and the black Ghost RWBY had grown accustomed to appeared over his gloved hand. Jaune's team collectively took a step back from the desk, and Switch looked around at each of them.

"Sup?"

Over the course of an hour, JNPR was clued in on the war against the Darkness, the Traveler, and Earth's struggle for survival. Jaune and Pyrrha largely accepted the facts with little more than astonished expressions. Nora was gaping the whole time, while Ren stood thoughtfully rubbing his chin. When the tale concluded with Ruby's Ascension, she summoned Summer as well, the crimson Ghost flitting around the newly aware team before offering a nod of approval. When the tale was done, Jaune was the first to speak.

"That's, uh...wow. That's incredible, professor. I mean, it explains why Professor Horst is so awesome at killing Grimm, but it's a lot to take in." The unintroduced woman standing to Horst's right scoffed, and the Titan jabbed her in the side with his elbow. Ozpin frowned and leaned forward with steepled hands, his iron gaze settling entirely on Jaune. The blonde teen gulped nervously, but held his ground, though his hand did grasp Pyrrha's discreetly.

"Young man, I assure you that what we have said is entirely true. I understand that it may be difficult to accept at first, but I must stress that we brought you into this secret on Professor Horst's judgment. The fact that you are even being made aware of this is because of his faith in you." Horst nodded, his eyes boring into Jaune as well as the knowledge of his trust in JNPR, in Jaune, sunk in. "As I am sure you are no doubt aware, General Ironwood's presence here has complicated things with the Guardians. While I myself know that the General is capable of keeping secrets and is a good man, discretion from this point of view is ill advised at this time. At least, it will be until tomorrow." Ozpin sighed heavily, and Horst shook his head.

"Why?" Ruby asked, Summer floating above her shoulder. "Is something happening at the dance?" Yang and Weiss both flinched at the mention of the dance. The planning for the school dance had detracted from their ability to properly console Ruby during her depression, but it had been done to the best of their ability. It had been a welcome distraction, for sure, but the time was quickly approaching to determine whether or not their hard work would have merit in the eyes of the student body.

"In the wee hours of the dance, myself and Professor Goodwitch will be making the General aware of the Guardians and their plight. Once he is aware of it, we plan to make a more public announcement in the near future. I will need either Titan Horst or Hunter Spirit with me when we do this, however. James is not known for accepting word as fact." At the mention of her name, the woman next to Horst shifted her weight to her other foot, clearly ready for the conversation to be over. Horst took that opportunity to step forward slightly and sweep a hand toward the cloaked Hunter next to him.

"I also want to introduce an old friend of mine to you all. Her name is Spirit, and she helped me kill a god, to put things lightly. She and I have worked together for many years, and she has my absolute trust." Horst cast his eye back towards the helmeted woman approvingly, and a low whistle came from her masked visage.

"Way to make the sale, stud." She quipped, causing an uncommon blush to cross Horst's features before he cleared his throat and turned back to the students.

"I've made her aware of the unprecedented Ascension Ruby went through, and together we've compiled data to send back to Earth. With luck, Ruby won't be the only Guardian recruit we get out of this invasion going on back home. I have brought the eight of you here because you all qualify as excellent candidates." Horst finished. Ruby positively beamed at that and latched onto Yang's arm, excited at the prospect of not being the only Light zombie from Beacon. Blake and Pyrrha, however, were less than enthused. Blake crossed her arms and frowned slightly, while Pyrrha bladed herself more towards Jaune and less toward the Professors. Ozpin noticed their behavior, and gestured toward the two with a hand.

"This is not a dictatorship; you all have say in this matter. If you have qualms with this, by all means speak your mind." The elderly Headmaster offered. Pyrrha stepped back slightly, and Blake took it upon herself to be the first to speak.

"It's not that the Guardians' war doesn't affect us; far from it. But if our civil trouble with the Faunus and the White Fang is bad now, I can't imagine what will happen when suddenly aliens are strolling around Vale saving it from different, evil aliens. I've spent most of my life fighting for rights and equality." Blake shrugged her shoulders helplessly. "I don't want to take on another struggle and watch all my efforts disappear." Ozpin nodded in thanks for her opinion, and turned to look at Spirit.

"Thank you, Blake. I believe Hunter Spirit has something to add to that discussion." Horst nudged the aforementioned Hunter, and she stepped around the desk with a sigh, placing herself between Ozpin's desk and the students. When she stopped, she reached up and tugged her helmet off, exposing her light blue skin and fiery orange eyes. It was a sight that shocked even Ruby, and Blake pursed her lips in a thin line.

"After the Traveler died, some members of our race were forever changed. Those of us blasted and burned with the Light radiation were called the Awoken. A large portion of us fled to the asteroid belt, trying to escape the system." A derisive sneer crossed her otherwise beautiful face. "They ran like cowards right into the open arms of the Darkness. Those that weren't wiped out made their homes in the wreckage of millions of ships, undetectable among the asteroids. They chose to separate themselves as a race and follow their Queen. Now, they are dead." Horst's hand on her shoulder stopped Spirit from going further, but the disgusted look on her face told the rest. She clearly disagreed with their decision to abandon Earth and its struggle, and deserved their fate. Horst's words were kinder, but bore the same message.

"The Queen led an assault on Oryx's flagship, the Dreadnought. Whether or not it was to defend Earth or her own people, the Queen's flagship was utterly destroyed. All other Awoken warships were destroyed as well. They chose separation, and now they are all gone." Horst directed a pointed stare in Blake's direction. "The White Fang threaten a similar schism when the Taken and the Hive and all the other abominations arrive. We need to settle their dispute, or wipe them out before that happens." Blake's anger flared at that, and she slashed the air in front of her with a bladed hand.

"You can't do that! Don't condemn the misguided because they followed the wrong cause! A lot of the White Fang are just mistreated Faunus that are tired of being walked over. They don't deserve death!" She stated defiantly, righteous fury in her eyes as she stared the larger Titan down. "If you would cut them down just because they have been blinded by the White Fang, then you're no better than Adam." Her words were icy steel, and Horst felt their bite more than the others present, except maybe Yang. Blake's position on the White Fang was clear, but she still considered them the mistreated outcasts following the pied piper. The fact alone that she mentioned Adam's name, after denying any knowledge about the White Fang's leadership to Ozpin, proved just how angry she was. That, however, gave Horst exactly the ammunition he needed to throw it back in her face.

"Then you know exactly what must be done." Horst nearly whispered, and the implication didn't hurt her near as much as she expected. The removal of Adam Taurus from White Fang leadership was instrumental in curbing their violent rage. The Faunus had been stepped on, mistreated, and oppressed for years. But with Adam at the helm and the Darkness coming to Remnant, the White Fang only had to choices: end their struggle, or die. Somehow, the death of her old partner didn't seem so tragic anymore. The time spent under his tutelage and care as he molded her natural talent into the warrior she was today, she considered a stepping stone. Adam was an ailing predator, in more pain than he could ever heal from. It was a mercy to put him down, and it was only fitting that she be the one to do the deed.

"If the leadership was removed, or perhaps replaced, do you think the White Fang could be saved?" Ozpin asked, ignoring the fact that she was revealing information he had suspected she was withholding the entire time. Blake looked away, her unfocused gaze falling on the scarf wrapped around Yang's knee. She knew the White Fang, both before and after Adam and his cronies had taken over. If they were provided with a proper leader, perhaps even the old one...it was possible.

"We need to find Roger Leonberger." She stated quietly. Horst and Spirit looked over Ozpin, who sighed heavily. The Headmaster tapped a few commands into his console, and the image of a blonde male Faunus appeared on his holographic display. The man's blonde hair was thick and shaggy, joining with his full beard to create a shaggy mane reminiscent of a lion. Pointed canines peeked out from just underneath his lips, giving him a feral look were it not for his kind, gentle blue eyes. His thick blonde hair was marred by white streaks at his temples, a sign of his growing age. The gathered students and Guardians studied the man's face for a few moments more, then a series of beeps from Ozpin's desk shrunk the picture to a smaller size and ran a series of facts across underneath the image.

"Roger Leonberger was the founder of the White Fang movement, and a veteran of the Faunus Rights Revolution." Ozpin explained. "It was his efforts that pushed the peaceful protests and sit ins that did so much for the movement, despite many calls for a more violent approach. Leonberger stated that if the Faunus resorted to violence, they would undo all the progress made during and after the war, and prove to the humans that they were nothing more than the animals some accused them of being. His cries for peace and hard work found sympathetic ears for years, but after a particularly deadly accident that targeted a rally – the one at which Frank and Sarah Belladonna lost their lives – Leonberger's support base was cut out from underneath him. Shortly after that, he vanished from all social circles, with a suddenness that prompted an extensive police investigation. Unfortunately, we haven't seen or heard from him since." The Headmaster finished. Blake shook her head at the explanation, the mention of her parents a wound long scarred over.

"Adam would lose everyone if they found out that he killed Mr. Leonberger. I can see Adam kidnapping him, but the possible backlash from killing the creator of the White Fang is too big of a risk for him to take. That means that either Adam has him locked away somewhere the rest of the White Fang won't find him, or Leonberger saw the uprising coming and became a ghost. In either case, locating him will be a challenge." Blake offered. Ruby and Jaune looked over at the Faunus as she stared straight ahead, not making eye contact with anyone as she contemplated the direct attack on the very organization she had worked to build up for years. While Blake fought her inner turmoil, Yang placed a comforting hand on her shoulder and looked over at Horst with a worried expression. Ruby, however, was ecstatic.

"We actually have a way to beat the White Fang!" Ruby crowed. "If we put Leonberger back into power, they won't be bad guys anymore!" Weiss palmed her face at this and sighed at her leader's simplistic view of the problem, though she couldn't exactly accuse Ruby of being wrong. That being said, placing Leonberger back on top of the White Fang with a pat on the head wasn't going to solve all their problems.

"It's a start, at least." Jaune agreed. "I don't know what to make of the Guardians yet, but we can handle this Leonberger hunt no problem. Where's the last place he was sighted?" Ozpin scrolled through his profile and nodded to himself, before tapping a few commands into his scroll. Almost immediately, the scrolls of everyone in the room (except Spirit because she wasn't going to tolerate using such a primitive device) buzzed, and Pyrrha opened her scroll to see a summarized report of Leonberger's last known whereabouts, along with a picture to match. The other students did the same, and found the information on their scrolls as well. Ozpin leaned back in his chair and heaved a heavy sigh.

"I've given you all the relevant data that is available. Keep in mind, some of the information in that report is a result of the police investigation. Guard this portfolio, and be wary. It is thorough, but there is no way to guarantee its accuracy." The Headmaster reached behind his desk and produced a steaming mug of tea, which he sipped contentedly before continuing. "I will not suspend classes for you; there is too much going on right now and we are too close to the Vytal Festival to take away your chances of participating. On top of that, the influx of students coming in from the other Kingdoms will make locating a man missing for years difficult. So for today and tomorrow, enjoy your time as students and lay low. After the dance tomorrow night, there will be ample time to search for Leonberger."

Horst walked around the desk, Spirit close behind as the two walked past their students toward the door. When they reached the door to Ozpin's elevating stairs, Horst turned back toward the assembled Huntsmen and Huntresses.

"While you lot are maintaining your cover and working the quiet angle, Spirit and I will search for any recent sightings or mention of Leonberger. I know Faunus won't be excited to talk to a human, but scrounging around the lower side of Vale may produce something we can work on. That, and I can't really dance." Horst reluctantly admitted, earning a snicker from Spirit and a collective face palm from the Beacon gang. Spirit pushed the Titan out the door and winked at the rest of them.

"Don't worry, we'll be there for the party." With that simple assurance, the two elder Guardians were gone. Jaune and Ren looked at each other for a long time, the two male members of JNPR contemplating their role in the world that just became a lot bigger for them. Pyrrha rubbed her arm nervously as she herself considered the implications of what had been revealed to them. Only Nora seemed nonplussed. Ozpin and RWBY observed their mixed doubts and could only stand in silence as JNPR considered their options.

"Alright." Jaune finally said, snapping his team out of their daze. "After the dance, we'll go into the city and track down as many White Fang members we can find. Not all of them will talk, but the ones that do could point us to new clues." Jaune looked over at Ruby. "I know you guys have gone looking for the White Fang before, but do you think we can capture one of their lieutenants? Anyone who might know Leonberger's last location?" Ruby and Weiss immediately turned and looked to Blake, the resident White Fang expert, and she slowly nodded.

"It's possible." She admitted. "But the only people that will know Leonberger's whereabouts if he's been captured are the members of Adam's inner circle. They're all equally ruthless, powerful, and usually surrounded by other members of the White Fang. We'd have to take one by surprise and disappear with him before the rest of them caught on." Blake had done several snatch and grabs for the White Fang in the past, but never against them. Then again, some strategies are universally useful, no matter who you use them against.

"Anything you do to target the White Fang leadership will make yourselves targets as well. Don't take this decision lightly." Ozpin advised. He stood up and grabbed his mug, walking around his desk to set a reassuring hand on Jaune's shoulder. "If you have a chance to kidnap a member of their upper echelon, take it. But be aware that you will only have one chance. If a group like the White Fang realizes that you are targeting their leaders specifically, anyone that knows anything will be in the wind before you have another shot."

Blake reeled at what they were even considering. She had thought about the problem the White Fang had presented ever since she had deserted the cause, but a clear cut solution had never presented itself to her. Every answer had a negative outcome, though some were far worse than the others. And deep down, Blake wasn't sure if she would have the strength to take Adam down. No matter how much she prepared, or how far he had strayed from the freedom fighter she had first met, would she be able to bring the blade down? Or would she falter, and condemn those she cared for the most to death as he cut through them like wheat? These questions raged behind the lidded golden eyes of the Faunus, and she almost didn't recognize the soft grip of Yang's hand wrapping around her forearm. When the blond shook her slightly, Blake finally focused on the office again and looked over at the reassuring smile Yang had plastered all over her face. Once Blake returned the grin with a smile of her own, Yang let her hand drop and stretched her arms over her head, yawning loudly as she did so.

"Well, this has been a dramatic and fun filled talk, but me and Blake will have to hit the showers. I've got sand in places I really don't want it, and I need someone to help me dry my hair later." In a fashion similar to Weiss' running tug from earlier, Yang's hand wrapped around Blake's as she pulled the unsuspecting Faunus toward the door. "Later!" The two disappeared down Ozpin's weird staircase moments later, Yang giggling and Blake with a silent, surprised expression on her face. With just Weiss, Ruby, Ozpin, and JNPR left in the room, the Headmaster checked his watch.

"I'm afraid Ms. Xiao Long has the right idea. The hour is getting late, and you all have a dance to prepare for." He turned his gaze to JNPR specifically. "I must again remind you that everything spoken of here today has been done so in confidence. I don't care what you say once we go public, but for now I must ask that you keep these matters private." Nods all around agreed to his gentle request.

"Don't worry, Professor." Pyrrha said reassuringly. "It's quite a lot to learn over the course of one night, but we'll keep it to ourselves. As for the White Fang matter, Jaune and I will discuss it in private and bring any more suggestions we might think of to you." Jaune nodded in agreement, still a little bewildered over the story of the Guardians. Ozpin recognized his hesitation, and sipped his tea with an amused smirk.

"If any of you feel the need to speak to me, don't hesitate to ask. Glynda is fully aware of your status as candidates, and can arrange any necessary leave of absence from class should the need arise." Ozpin walked back around to his chair and took his seat, swiveling it away from the group of students to look out at the golden horizon behind him. Ruby and Weiss exchanged looks with JNPR for a moment before they all turned around and filed out of the office. It was clear that the Headmaster was done talking for the moment.

* * *

Cayde had to admit, the stealth drive needed some work. I mean, he would never take full blame for anything, but there was definitely a lot of problems on his end when the experimental stealth technology crapped out right when he was in front of the Dreadnought's giant gun. Granted, the Taken and the Hive were busy facing Guardians and Cabal soldiers all over the place and were too busy to fire the weapon, but you don't stare down the barrel of a gun like that and not sweat a little.

Once he landed, Cayde had his ship depart immediately, lest he be spotted by the few forces not engaging the Guardians. The Dreadnought was enormous, and you were just as likely to find an empty corridor as not, and the latter option usually meant a firefight. Cayde followed the path from the balcony deeper into the Dreadnought, unknowingly following in Ruby's footsteps. When he reached the chasm, however, he dropped down into the darkness immediately. Ikora's instructions were clear: descend into the darkness and follow the tainted Light. Together, the Hunter and Warlock portions of the Vanguard had concocted the incredibly risky plan in secret. The reason they didn't tell Zavala was simple: he was a very intense man that took bad news very poorly and would have stripped them of their pilot licenses years before he would ever approve such a plan.

A few Light assisted jumps later, and Cayde was at the bottom of the pit. Unlike Ruby before him, his Ghost appeared and produced a bright light in front of him, revealing a ling, rotting hallway that led deeper into the Inner Sanctum.

"Oh, if I were a bunch of forcibly imprisoned Light constructs, where would I be?" Cayde wondered out loud to himself. His Ghost did not respond, focusing instead on following the weak Light signal they had been tracking ever since Oryx had been sent back into the Ascendant Realm. After the rather dull and boring ten minutes of walking down the hall hearing nothing but his own footsteps, Cayde came to a small, unassuming door to his right just before a dead end. Now, the Hive weren't exactly connoisseurs of subtlety, but it was pretty obvious that the room he was looking for was through the door by the pulsing green light that seemed to bounce off of non reflective surfaces, a trait that piqued his interest. Three more corners and a long corridor later, Cayde whistled lowly as he passed through another small door into a great chamber.

"Jackpot. Fox in the hen house."

The room was large, the ceiling cast into darkness before he could make it out distinctly. The floor dropped several feet as well, and the room was circular in design. The walls curled around a large tower in the center, covered in thick bone-based cages that all contained throbbing green orbs, the sparks that had been witnessed often since Oryx's arrival. Along the walls on several floors, there were more cells just like the ones on the center column. Corrupted Ghosts sat in forced silence, the enchantments and traps placed upon them preventing them from fully waking up and becoming imbued with Light. The Ghosts themselves were hidden from view within the sickly white-green sparks that had been reported all over the system, usually in areas engulfed in the Darkness. They seemed to act as conduits to Oryx's will, or even direct connections to his consciousness itself. Whatever he had felt when the little girl Horst was training – Ruby, he thought it was – had stolen a Ghost, it would undoubtedly set a fire under his ass when Cayde did it for all of them. The Hunter looked around the immense chasm, searching for a big fat release button, or maybe a power source for the barriers, the giant Knight standing behind him-

Aw, shucks.

"Hey there ugly." Cayde greet, bending backward to duck underneath a horizontal swipe from a very large and very angry looking Hive Knight. The Knight stood almost fifteen feet tall and was covered in decaying chitinous armor, all dark red and black. His sword was nearly the size of Cayde himself, and the monstrosity slashed after him with deadly speed and strength. Thankfully, this is Cayde we're talking about, and the veteran Hunter dodged and sidestepped every strike with an almost bored expression.

"Yeah, that's great – whoops! - but I'm here to let all my friends go. So if you could – almost got me! - point me toward the cell controls, that'd be greeeat." Cayde said sarcastically, before he got tired of dodging the big creature's attacks and spun around, his hands ducking underneath his cloak in the middle of his back to find a pair of throwing knives. Moving with the rotation as he turned, Cayde tossed both blades, nailing the creature in the face and earning a roar of pain as black blood burst from the wounds. Clearly, the beast had expected its barrier to stop the blades before they hit him, but Cayde had been fighting protected enemies since the day he had been reborn.

"It wouldn't hurt so bad if you would just dodge." Cayde lectured, and drew something a little more deadly than throwing knives. A silver hand cannon with a talon like blade descending from the grip entered his hand, and the intricate carvings near the barrel indicated the lucky gun known as the Hawkmoon. The hand cannon barked four rounds, all into the same area the knives had landed. With the bullets tearing apart what the knives had already lacerated, the Knight collapsed to the ground with a great thud, his corpse kicking up dust from the impact and sending a loud boom throughout the vault. Cayde strolled over to the fallen Knight and kicked its ruined head a few times, disappointed that the guardian of something so valuable had been such a chump. The rumble of the Knight's impact never seemed to fade from the echo, until Cayde realized that the rumble was the opening of the door. Not the large number of cell doors all around him, but rather a very large blast door on the other side of the vault slowly began to lift upward. Absolute darkness reigned on the other side of the door, but Cayde could vaguely make out the gnarled, pale white feet of an Ogre. As the door raised up further, Cayde realized that this one was big.

"Now that's more like it." He smirked, and reloaded the Hawkmoon slowly. When the door was halfway up, the Ogre gripped the bottom and rammed the door upward, jarring the entire chamber and breaking the gate mechanism to where the gate stayed up, listing haphazardly to the left. When the Ogre set its eyes upon Cayde, it roared defiantly, and began stomping his way. Cayde let the big bastard close in on him for a spell, then leaped up and over the Ogre, opening fire as he leaped. When he landed behind the Ogre, nothing more than a slight stumble indicated that it had even felt his rounds.

"Oh, this will be fun." Cayde said more to himself than anything. He ran a speed loader into the cylinder of the Hawkmoon and continued to fire, even as the Ogre charged again.


	12. Chapter 12

Rest easy, Achilles. Know that your sacrifice will ignite the fires of retribution. (V3 Finale)

 **Chapter 12**

* * *

The approaching dance had a lot of students anxious, but a certain blonde goof was more on edge than the rest of the student body. Ever since Pyrrha made her feelings towards him clear, Jaune had endeavored to prove that he was worthy of her affection. It wasn't that Pyrrha expected him to earn her attentions, but Jaune felt that he needed to prove that he deserved such a prize as Pyrrha. As he considered his options, Jaune was unfortunately not paying enough attention to where he was walking. A few students managed to sidestep the distracted youth, but a wall of hardened steel and muscle found Jaune's nose as he bumped into Professor Horst. The Titan clearly was expecting the interruption, as he smirked wryly when Jaune landed on his rump. The blonde rubbed his nose and groaned, before realizing that he had actually bumped into someone.

"Uh, sorry about that...Professor?" Jaune finally looked up and realized that it was Horst that he collided with. A large hand reached down to offer him help up. The blonde took the offered hand sheepishly, and yelped as he was pulled to his feet with ease by the colossal Titan. Horst patted Jaune on the back reassuringly, his scarred face crinkling in amusement.

"Hello, Jaune. You seem...preoccupied." Horst noted, earning another sheepish grin from the knight. "Is there something the matter?" Jaune looked around at the other students bustling about the hallway, and his nervousness from before Pyrrha had started training him suddenly came out.

"Can we talk about it in private? I'm having some trouble getting ready for the dance, and it's kind of embarrassing." Horst refrained from rolling his eyes for Jaune's sake, and the two stepped over toward the more secluded gardens outside the hall. Once there was a column and several large hedges between the two and the rest of the student body, Jaune's shoulders sagged.

"I'm trying to come up with a way to impress Pyrrha at the dance, and I can't come up with anything. She doesn't know that I can dance, but I want other people to look at Pyrrha and say how lucky she is." Jaune described his hope, and Horst chuckled at his naive goals for the evening. The Titan rubbed his forehead in a mixture of exasperation and humor, considering the options for helping the young man out.

"You know, I highly doubt a girl as honest and modest as Pyrrha would complain about having a boyfriend like you for a second, Jaune." Horst said with a hint of a smile. "But I see your point. If you're willing, I'll help you lad." Jaune jumped a little in surprise, and a huge grin spread across his face. Before he could voice his excitement, however, Horst held up a hand.

"Not here. If I'm going to help, we need to have a more private venue. Switch?" Jaune barely saw the black Ghost appear from behind the grinning Titan's head before the world vanished in a shower of glittering cubes. A sense of vertigo afflicted the young knight, and his vision swam as he was displaced across several miles in seconds, causing him to squint to prevent another vomit boy incident. When the sensation finally eased, Jaune noticed that the warmth provided by the autumn sun was absent, replaced by a curiously comfortable, controlled atmosphere. The blonde opened his eyes and saw that his sneakers sat not on the grass of Beacon's courtyard, but rather a cold floor made of connected metal plates. Looking up from the metal floor, Jaune found himself not in the school's courtyard, but rather what looked like a high tech airship.

The Iron Symphony was outfitted to break past a blockade with a mixture of speed and armaments. With that being said, cabin space and living quarters were considered a worthy sacrifice in the interest of military pragmatism. As Jaune looked up, the metal ceiling very nearly scraped the top of Horst's closely cropped hair. As Jaune continued to look around, he realized that he was standing in the cockpit. Two polymer seats sat in front of a battery of controls, with more levers and handles than Jaune knew what to do with. The clear view port revealed a magnificent sight outside of the steel walls: Remnant. The brilliant blue planet took up the entire bottom half of their view, the clouds visible below as the planet's surface curled forward toward the horizon. Jaune gasped in surprise when he realized what he was looking at.

"Impressive, isn't it? Technically, we're just over Mantle." Horst said as he pointed down at the see through floor at the planet below, which was mostly white at the moment. In fact, Jaune could barely see a spread of grays and whites that might be Atlas.

"This is so cool. I've never heard of anyone ever going into space before." Jaune said, then realized he was speaking to someone who had come from another star system. "Well, besides you Professor." Horst waved off the amendment and stepped away from the cockpit, further into the ship. When Jaune turned around, he was surprised that despite its size – far smaller than the airships hovering over Beacon – the Iron Symphony was cozy enough to live in. Despite the surplus ammunition crates and weapon lockers, there was a large cot that could handle Horst's immense size and a small refresher near it, with a shower inside. A few sliding doors revealed two more bunks, though for anyone bigger than Jaune, it would be a tight fit if fully occupied. Across from the cot was a small holographic display of Remnant, and likely a table for planning missions and patrols. There was also a metal plated cabinet, which is where Horst was headed. When he opened the cabinet, it slid outward and to the side, revealing a small collection of helmets, greaves, chest pieces, shoulder pauldrons, and gauntlets. While Jaune gaped open mouthed at the startling array of different colored and shaped armor, Horst went through the assembly with a much more bored disposition. He pushed the pieces aside carelessly, look for something yet not knowing what he was really looking for.

"Let's see, you're not going to want a helmet. Some flashier gauntlets may work out for you. The chest piece can't be too big, you'll be dancing...wait." The Titan paused in his scrounging and turned to appraise Jaune critically. "You DO know how to dance, don't you?"

Jaune chuckled nervously and rubbed his arm, refusing to make eye contact.

"Well, when you have seven sisters..." The blonde trailed off, but Horst nodded in understanding.

"Say no more. I think I know just the thing to lighten your steps." The Titan turned back to his collection of armor, and began plucking pieces from the racks with earnest. Within but a few moments, nearly a full suit of Guardian armor sat in a neat pile next to Jaune. Jaune looked down at the formidable – not to mention valuable – stack of protective gear and swallowed hard, and then looked back up at Horst. He took a few marginal steps back when he noticed the wicked gleam in the Titan's eye.

"Uh, I'm not sure this will all fit me, Professor." Jaune said anxiously, taking another step back as the Titan moved forward. Horst waved off his protests and held up a thick pair of gauntlets.

"Nonsense. It will all fit perfectly, I guarantee. Now sit still."

After a brief struggle with getting Jaune's wiry body into the connecting garments, the knight's usual armor was replaced by Horst's more formidable and flashy gear. A pair of gloves covered from wrist to knuckles by a thick, carved plate of metal similar to those on Horst's Ruin wings, but without the backwards flair. A basic pair of elbow pads protected his arm, and the pauldrons were sleek and smaller than expected, although they seemed to be the same basic rectangular shape as Horst's helmet. The chest piece was slanted towards the sternum from top to bottom, jutting forward slightly with a thick collection of plates. The greaves were the real prize: a pair of Peregrine Greaves, golden and red. Thick plates of armor covered his thighs from the front and back, ending in a pair of circular pads that were golden in color. Each pad had a single stray wing that went towards the outside. Beneath the knees were another pair of pads, and thick shin guards completely encased his calves. The boots had golden shunts over the feet for added protection, and another set of metal wings sprouted from the ankles. The entire outfit was done in red cloth and bronze or gold metal, to match Pyrrha's own colors. Jaune picked up his feet experimentally, marveling at how light the armor was.

"There's no way I can repay you for all this." Jaune said in wonder. "How did you have it all in my size?" Horst sat back and framed the boy with his fingers, a wide grin permanently etched on his face.

"Don't worry about repayment, lad. The armor requires Light to operate at its full potential, so on you it is purely ceremonial. As for why it fits, well..." Horst shrugged his shoulders. "Programmable matter is so convenient."

Jaune gave the armor a few more enthusiastic kicks and punches, still amazed with how well the plates flowed together despite his variety of movements.

"This armor is incredible. And it looks amazing!" Jaune exulted, and Horst held out a hand to summon Switch.

"Tell you what: if you steal the show at the dance, you can keep the armor. I have no use for it, and you could do for an upgrade. But you have to impress your woman to earn it, understood?" The Titan shook a finger at the boy to reinforce his point, and Jaune was only too happy to nod in agreement. Before the lad could reply, however, the shimmering cubes descended again, and they were whisked away back to Beacon. To Jaune's relief, the second trip was nowhere near as nauseating as the previous one. When he opened his eyes once more, they stood again in the courtyard of the school. The only sign that they had ever departed was the priceless set of armor Jaune wore. The boy looked back down at the ensemble as if he were convinced it would disappear if he looked away, and was snapped out of his musings by a tap on his forehead.

"I believe you have a dance to get ready for, Mr. Arc." Horst reminded. Jaune looked back up and focused on the Titan, unsure of what to do. While the gravity of what Horst had given him was not entirely lost on the boy, as the youngest of a large family he was used to hand-me-downs and other second rate gear. That being said, the man that could be considered his favorite teacher had just given him a gift to outshine any other gift he had received, save maybe Pyrrha's training. So, he did the only thing he could think to do.

With a clank of metal on metal, Horst found a weight on his chest. Frowning, he looked down in confusion to see a mop of blonde hair, and could see the gauntlets he had just given the boy attempting to wrap around his arms. Jaune was giving him a hug. This fact made the Titan somewhat uncomfortable, and he awkwardly shrugged the boy off.

"Thank you so much Professor. I promise, you won't regret this!" Jaune said enthusiastically with a fire in his eyes. "And neither will Pyrrha." With little more than that, the boy was off in a blur of red and gold, leaving Horst standing in the courtyard alone as he watched the boy leave.

* * *

The night of the dance could not come soon enough to many. Weiss and Yang had put considerable effort into planning the event, a fact made apparent by the hanging silk ribbons, the collections of balloons on every column, and the tastefully matching white and red tables and chairs. The ballroom also sported some considerable sub woofers near the DJ table, where two men in gold and silver helmets put together the various song selections for the evening. The DJ's were clearly Yang's idea. As students from Haven, Beacon, and Atlas all came together to dance the night away, a few students in particular stood out among the crowd. At least, they did to Blake. Jaune and Pyrrha had arrived just after the festivities had begun, what some would refer to as "fashionably late". Pyrrha had arrived in a long, form fitting crimson dress and her usual bronze circlet. Her dress was slitted down her left side, stopping just below her hip and allowing for both range of movement and a scandalous show of leg should she step out too far. Her feet were wrapped in a pair of leather shoes that climbed up her calves, ending several inches below her knees. Not to be outdone, Jaune's new armor gleamed in the multicolored lights that Yang had arranged around the dance floor. If Pyrrha was turning heads, her armored escort had attracted the attention of the entire room.

From her perch up above the main floor, Blake sipped lazily on a glass of punch, her eyes flitting from one interesting pair of dancers to the next. To someone that had grown up in poverty and civil strife, a fancy party such as this did little to impress the Faunus. In fact, the last time she had been anywhere near a gathering such as this had been in Atlas, and that had ended in two kidnappings and a murder. From above, Blake watched Jaune lean in and whisper something to Pyrrha that even Blake's hearing could not pick up. Pyrrha gave the blonde a beaming smile and a nod after a moment's consideration, and Jaune parted from his warrior goddess and made his way over to the DJ's. When he reached the table, the man in the gold helmet ceased his actions and let the silver helmeted man take over while he took Jaune's request. The two spoke for some time, before the DJ nodded and Jaune walked back towards Pyrrha with purpose in his steps. The current song slowly faded as the two DJ's cycled through their repertoire of songs, and then a new tune began to play.

Begin: **Heavenly Blue** by _in ENGLISH_ (AmaLEE)

An electronic hum filled the air as the speakers did their thing, and the rest of the dancers cleared off from the dance floor as Pyrrha and Jaune took center stage. The music zoomed out and faded nearly to silence, before a culmination of symbols and piano suddenly set off the music at a fevered pace.

As the lyrics began to play, Jaune and Pyrrha stepped to each other fluidly, gliding across the dance floor as if it were made of ice. When they met, Jaune swept Pyrrha up into his arms and spun with her, bringing the warrior goddess around him and twirling her under his arched arm. As Pyrrha spun, her dress flared outward slightly in time with her movements, and together the two moved in step together in sync with the slowing tempo. Pyrrha's hands automatically found Jaune's neck as he pulled her close. The two moved with such fervor and grace they were as a dancing flame, every time they connected their energy would flare up and energize them even further. Jaune stepped back and pulled Pyrrha with him, spinning her past him to stand on their own separate sides of the floor. Pyrrha danced across the floor and spun to face her knight, a beaming smile plastered across her face as they paced the floor, the two of them carving a crimson and gold ring around the floor as the tempo fluctuated, getting closer as the pulse pounded ever faster. When they finally met, Pyrrha joined her hands with Jaune's and the two swayed across the floor, their hips and shoulders appearing to be the only things moving as they glided on sure feet. After a few more slow turns, Jaune dipped Pyrrha deep toward the ground, earning a blush from the modest warrior, before bringing her back up with him and turning away.

Above the dance floor, Blake watched transfixed as the two partners swayed, spun, and glided their way across the dance floor, taken in by their cooperation and the way the two seemed to think, feel, and move the same way as if on instinct. The Faunus was wearing a purple dress with fishnet shoulders, the dress itself clinging to her form in more ways than she had expected. The cloth stopped just at her knee, and there was a similar slit up either side of her legs, though it only ran to mid thigh to allow for some modesty. A small set of heels rounded out her outfit, along with her ever present black bow. So caught up was Blake in watching the couple dance, she didn't notice the sea of blonde hair on her right until a stray strand started tickling her nose. Yang smirked from beside Blake and leaned across the banister, leaning back to accentuate her generous bust either out of habit or intentionally. A cream silk dress covered the brawler's bombshell body, the strap wrapping around the back of her neck and the back of the dress dropping down to the middle of her back, hidden by the avalanche of blonde hair. Contrary to her usual wardrobe, Yang's cleavage was surprisingly scarce, with only a little bit of a 'v' to advertise her chest. Blake's eyes lingered on Yang's form for a moment, before both looked down to see Jaune catch Pyrrha from a well executed toss.

"You know what is the only thing better than watching a dance?" Yang asked mischievously from Blake's side. The Faunus rolled her eyes and smiled slightly, before cutting the amber orbs toward Yang.

"What would that be?" She asked, already guessing the answer. Instead of a verbal response, Yang grabbed her partner's hand and led the Faunus toward the stairs eagerly, not pulling Blake off of her feet but not moving slowly wither.

"Participating!" Yang crowed with excitement. If it had been Ruby, Neptune, or even Sun, Blake would have freed her hand and politely refused. But the enthusiasm with which Yang led her down the stairs, the dazzling smile her blonde teammate wore as she pulled them to the dance floor...

Oh, what the heck. She needed to unwind anyways.

As the tempo picked up near the middle of the song, the joined Arkos looked up in surprise to see Yang and Blake step up as well. Jaune and Pyrrha's lead, Blake and Yang joined hands and stepped close as a rival pair, the two duos circling the floor as they matched the speed of the music. Seeing the new arrivals as a challenge, Pyrrha and Jaune exchanged a look and nodded simultaneously, before separating in a spin that sent them to the edges of the floor. Bumblebee reciprocated the action, and soon each corner had a dancer. As the tempo increased, every dancer moved toward their partner in time with the beat, twirling and stepping in time. Blake wasn't so sheltered as to have never danced before, but rather she was never comfortable with it. She spent so many years hiding from the public eye, concealing herself behind a bow and a book to let the world pass her by. But as she danced across the tiled floor, Yang's hand in her own, and heat blossoming across her face and in her chest...it felt right. The Faunus smiled broadly for the first time in a long time, and together she and her blonde teammate danced the night away.

As Bumblebee and Arkos showed all the spectators how to dance, Horst and Spirit watched from the corner, near the door. Horst was wearing his standard under suit attire, with the blue jacket and matching pants. Spirit, however, had also tied a black bow tie around his neck as well. He hadn't removed it under threat of multiple deaths. Spirit herself was garbed in her gold and white body suit, though her armor and cloak remained in Horst's dorm. Her helmet was replaced by a balaclava, the mask necessary to prevent any social backlash against the Hunter. Horst hated that Spirit was forced to hide her face; it was unfair for her to conceal her beauty, especially on a night when such a stunning sight should be celebrated. But Remnant was not ready for the truth that was the Awoken, and they were forced to hide her precious features from view.

"I gotta admit, these kids really aren't that bad." Spirit commented, pulling Horst out of his thoughts about the negative notions of civil strife. He glanced at her, his whole eye crinkling with the hint of a smile before his gaze turned back to the dance. As Yang and Blake danced back to back to rival Jaune's risque swinging moves inflicted on Pyrrha, the aging Titan couldn't help but smile.

"No, they aren't." He agreed. "You know, when I first got here, I didn't know how I would be received. I expected fear, hatred, maybe even an outright witch hunt to take down the man that refused to die. But Beacon, Ozpin, these kids..." Horst swept his hand across the ball room, though his gaze lingered on teams RWBY and JNPR in particular. "I feel more at peace than during our greatest triumph in the Hellmouth. These kids look up to me, trust my words explicitly, and Ozpin has been the most gracious host I've ever had." He ended his observation with a mournful tone, and Spirit picked up on it immediately. There were some Guardians that said she could read his mind. They weren't entirely wrong either.

"You feel bad for dragging them into our war." It was a statement, not a question. Horst chuckled incredulously, and turned to face his amorous rival.

"Feel bad? I'm guilt ridden over it. Ruby came to this school to become a hero to her people, fighting monsters and putting bad guys in jail. Before the end of the year, she'll either be training as an interstellar monster slayer, or she'll be a pariah among even her closest friends." Horst picked out the young reaper, sitting at a table next to Weiss as the two chatted idly. "As lucky as I am to have met these students and take them under my wing, I feel the weight of what my interference will bring. I know for a fact that when the Darkness comes – when _Oryx_ comes – not everyone in this room will live to see his defeat." The Titan let his gaze fall as he fought the unsure feelings of what the future would bring. "Maybe none of them will."

Spirit stepped closer to the much larger Guardian and slipped a hand around his back, her slender arm barely able to grab his belt at the opposite hip as she grasped him in a one armed hug. The big man did nothing a first, but finally relented and placed a large arm around her shoulders as well, pulling her securely into his large form.

"Don't think like that. You've always had a problem with mourning battles we haven't even fought yet." Spirit chided. "We know Oryx is coming, and we have a plan to solve things here. Barring incident, we'll be as ready as possible when the Taken King arrives." The Hunter snaked her free hand up to Horst's face and gave him a light slap on the cheek, right on his scar. "So that's enough wool gathering out of you. Besides, I can't think of a better person to protect them. With how stubborn you are, Oryx will give up the argument long before you're done."

The two Guardians went silent as Horst rolled his shoulders in a reluctant acceptance of her words, his large form rippling around her as the muscles constricted and then loosened. They stood together in silence, watching the students from Beacon, Atlas, Haven, and Vacuo dance to a slower, more personal tune. To see such youth, without a care in the world, was a refreshing yet sobering sight for the two warriors of Light. How long ago had it been since they had been so carefree, so easily happy in a world gone wrong? And how long would it be before their eyes settled on another sight like this again? Neither knew, but they took comfort in each other's embrace. When it came to standing against the Darkness, Horst was all Spirit had. Everyone else proved either unskilled or untrustworthy.

While the extraterrestrials pondered their lot in life, a very different conversation was happening outside, near one of the windows on the walkway leading to the mess hall. Glynda, Ozpin, and General Ironwood all watched the festivities from the outside, meandering through idle conversation as Ozpin constructed his presentation to the somewhat paranoid General.

"Do you remember the new instructor that I took on this year? Professor Horst?" Ozpin asked Ironwood. The General cut his eyes to his old friend, but resumed watching the children dance before he answered.

"Yes, the mysterious teacher with no identifiable background, previous history, or identification of any kind. I wondered when you were going to bring him up, Oz." Ironwood said sardonically. "I'm not too comfortable having an unknown running around a school like this. Particularly in light of our...other troubles." The General didn't need to expand on his concern; their mutual charge was weakening by the day, and it was clear some greater scheme was in motion. Ozpin was aware of this, surely.

"I can assure you, James. This man is completely trustworthy. He has proven his loyalty and dependability time and again. However, he is something of a unique individual here." Ozpin clasped his hands over his cane. "At the beginning of this semester this year, we were told of a strange, iron clad man walking around the campus grounds..."

The story took some time, as Ironwood was made aware of the entire tale, from Horst's arrival, to the goings on of the stars, to the inevitable approach of the Taken King. Since I've spent over 100,000 words describing this epic, I ain't doing it again. When the Headmaster finished his daunting story, Ironwood's expression was a mixture of thoughtful composure and irritation.

"I find it in poor taste that you waited to tell me about this until now, Ozpin." Ironwood said with a dark glare. "If I'm trustworthy enough to be party to your little group of world saviors, what made me so hard to confide in with the Guardians?" Ozpin said nothing at this, and it was Glynda that voiced their concerns.

"When you first arrived here, you came with hundreds of soldiers in tow and a fleet at your back, a hammer running around looking for a nail. DO you honestly believe you would have taken the news of an alien at the school as well as you have tonight?" The blonde asked, her tone clearly indicating that she didn't think so. "We kept him from you both to make sure he was trustworthy, and to save him from public execution. Not that it would matter, with his abilities..." Glynda trailed off. Ironwood rubbed the bridge of his eyes and turned away from the two, though in his gut he knew that they had a point. If he had been aware of Horst upon his arrival, it was likely that he would have lost men trying to contain the warrior. Still, the deception stung.

"So, now what do we do? We still don't have a clue about what these more local fiends are up to, and now there's an intergalactic embodiment of hate coming to knock our door down?" Ironwood asked irritably, and Ozpin stepped forward to that.

"We know this – they are manipulating the White Fang, they have access to Atlesian technology, and their target is here. We can plan appropriately from there. For now, I want to reintroduce you to our resident Guardian. And, I suppose, introduce his Femme Fatale as well." Ozpin opened his scroll with a flick of his thumb and tapped a few commands into it, sending a message to Horst's scroll. Granted, Switch would intercept it before it even left Ozpin's scroll, but they had to keep up appearances. Couldn't have a floating, talking flashlight pop up in the middle of the school dance, could we?

 _They're ready for you._ Switch said from his connection to Horst, the Ghost picking up the message even as Ozpin typed it in. The Titan nodded slightly, then looked down at the Hunter under his arm.

"Ready to go blow this guy's mind?" He asked with a rueful grin. Spirit's face crinkled underneath her mask, and she removed her hand from his opposite hip and looped it around his arm instead.

"Lead the way, stud." She winked coyly at him, and the Titan relished in the flash of heat that streaked through his chest. Arm in arm, the two Guardians crossed the dance floor, the two slipping through the crowd that was busy watching JNPR break it down in step, their movements in sync as if they had practiced it that way. When the two finally won free of the press of well dressed bodies, they found Ruby standing at the door awkwardly. Spirit went to move on past the reaper, but Horst stopped them both when he saw Ruby's slightly melancholy expression. The red head's shoulders were slumped slightly, and the upturned corners of her mouth seemed somewhat forced, as if she was having no fun at all but was trying to be happy for everyone else. She wore a red dress in similar design to Blake's, though there was no slit on the side to allow for a scandalous show of leg. The red head teetered on some modest heels that still seemed too uncomfortable to her, obviously preferring her boots and hood to the more refined dress code. Granted, Summer could swap Ruby back to her usual attire in an instant, but such a change would be flashy and attract a lot of attention.

"Is everything alright, Ruby?" Horst asked. So unfocused was Ruby on her surroundings that she looked up in surprise, before she saw Horst and Spirit standing at the door.

"Oh, hey Professor! And Ms. Spirit." Ruby said less cheerfully than usual, adding in the greeting to the Hunter she hadn't really spent much time with. Spirit snorted at the address, and Horst cocked his head to one side.

"Are you not enjoying the dance?" Ruby frowned when he asked that, and hugged her arms to herself as she clearly fought the trepidation she felt.

"It's not that. I know everyone is having fun and that Yang and Weiss tried really hard to put this together on top of all of our other things we've done this month. But I've just never been a fancy pantsy... dancey girl." The reaper admitted, and Horst's chuckle made her look up at him.

"I'm a klutz on the dance floor as well, don't worry. For us, the battlefield is a far more comfortable place than some ballroom." Horst looked down at Spirit for a moment, then looked back at Ruby. "We're going to go present ourselves to General Ironwood for inspection. There's probably a fight to be had there, if you're interested." Ruby positively beamed at the invitation, even though the little half step of excitement she took set her off balance in the dress heels she wore.

"You bet! Let's go talk to the General." Ruby walked cautiously in front of the two, so preoccupied with not falling down in her heels that she never saw the slap coming. A decent pat across the back of her head nearly tripped the reaper, and she flailed comically before regaining her footing. Ruby rubbed her head and turned around, only to find Spirit's finger millimeters from her nose.

"Don't call me miss. It makes me feel old." The Hunter lectured. Ruby rubbed the back of her head sheepishly, and together the three Guardians exited the ball room and walked down the walkway, hugging the wall and following it to where Ironwood, Goodwitch, and Ozpin were waiting. Ozpin and Glynda saw them approach, with Ironwood's back to the three. From their greeting nods, Ironwood turned as well, his hands clasped behind his back in reflex from so many years in the Atlesian military.

"Thank you for coming." Ozpin said from the rear. "We were just finishing up the explanation with James here." Ozpin's use of Ironwood's first name further cemented his opinion that the Guardians could be trusted, though a Grimm dragon would probably collapse the CCT before Ruby ever called the General by his first name. Horst and Spirit bowed slightly out of respect, the smaller Hunter elbowing Ruby in the side not so discreetly to do the same.

"It was no trouble on our part. After all, you are our hosts. We should be thanking you, to be honest." Horst said amicably, and Spirit nodded in agreement. Ironwood accepted the gratitude with a noncommittal 'hmm', then examined the three before him critically. After a few seconds of quiet observation, he finally spoke.

"Ozpin mentioned that you had Ghosts with you, not necessarily the source of your power but the conduits. I won't ask you to reveal them here, but I would like to see more of them in private." Ironwood requested. "As long as that's no trouble for you, of course." Horst's brow furrowed slightly, and he stepped slightly away from Spirit to leave his arms free. If the General saw the action as defensive or aggressive, he didn't show it.

"I understand the nature of the request, but I have to make it clear that Guardians are crippled without their Ghosts. They are far more capable of scanning and computing than any equipment you might have. I'd rather submit our own reports than risk you damaging my only ticket back home." The Titan held up his hands in a placating gesture. "No offense to your science teams, of course."

Ironwood frowned at his words, but grudgingly accepted them.

"Very well. I suppose if I were in your position, I would say the same thing. However, we need to know as much we can about what's coming. The Hive, the Taken, Oryx..." The General waved a hand dismissively. "You've opened a new galaxy of threats to us, and I'd like to know what we're up against." His words weren't accusatory, but Spirit stepped forward somewhat aggressively anyway.

"I don't need to remind you that this threat was always out there. Even without our interference, they would have found you eventually. And you would not have known anything about them until the Taken King was knocking down your walls." She seethed. "We may have attracted his attention early, but rest assured: he's always been on his way."

"I wasn't suggesting that he wasn't." Ironwood stepped forward as well, the two warriors straying away from the uncomfortable venue of conversation and more toward their preferred style: combat. "But you can't deny that your presence and actions here will bring the Taken down upon us much sooner, even while we have other enemies plotting against us." Spirit sneered beneath her mask, the movement of cloth and narrowing of her eyes the only indicator of her disdain. Ironwood's eyes narrowed as well, and Horst took a precautionary step between the two to avoid confrontation.

"Play nice, you two. And not in front of Ruby." He scolded. Spirit took his rebuke immediately and backed away, though she maintained scathing eye contact with Ironwood. The General did not relent at first, but the large Titan's words and presence finally convinced him to back away as well. The aforementioned student watched the adults bickering with a mixture of apprehension and anxiety; she was just a normal girl with normal knees and she was suddenly rethinking the idea of coming to join a very heavy conversation about the future of the Guardians on Remnant. The young Guardian stepped back from the conversation even as it grew more heated, Ironwood taking a very aggressive stance with Horst, and Spirit egging the two on. Ozpin and Glynda did their best t mediate, but Ruby wasn't sure how things would play out if it went on for much longer.

Chancing a look away from the heated debate, Ruby noticed a figure in black sky lined against the night, running across the rooftops with surprising skill and agility. As the strange person – clearly a woman from what curves Ruby could see – neared the tower, she dropped down on the other side of the buildings and out of sight. Ruby chanced a look back at the bickering adults, and saw that clearly any attempt to get their attention would end in the dismissive stalling that adults did when they didn't want to be interrupted by a child. Instead, Ruby set off in as fast a pace as her infuriating heels would allow, towards the CCT.

* * *

Cinder crept through the bushes, her powers and natural skill keeping her approach as quiet as possible. Her black pants, boots, and vest allowed for discreet movement, particularly on a cloudy night such as this. While a large amount of the school's population flocked to the ballroom, there was only a paltry handful of Atlesian foot soldiers guarding the Communications Tower. For such an important structure, she mused, they certainly didn't put a lot of effort in protecting it.

A patrolling guard in silver and blue armor approached the stairs Cinder had just about ran up in a rush. Instead, the woman held her position for a moment, observing the guard to see what his next move would be. Judging by the way he leaned to one side and held his rifle in a lax, soft grip, the man was incredibly bored. Even as she sat at the edge of his vision, he failed to notice the masked woman in the bushes. Cinder smirked at his inattentiveness. Just as the man turned, or rather, took a half step to his left, Cinder swept from the bushes on his right. A quick smack across the back of his head, and he was limp in her grasp. The woman grabbed her victim before he could collapse and make a lot of noise. Where she had once hidden seconds before, the guard would find himself whenever he woke up. Cinder was even considerate enough to put his rifle with him. She wasn't a TOTAL bitch after all. With the front guard down, it was easy to walk into the main lobby.

After she passed into the tower itself, the walls and doors provided a convenient barrier for any sounds or bright flashes of light that might occur in combat, and she abandoned her stealthy approach in favor of a more calm strut. It wasn't as if she could sneak down long, wide corridors with nothing to take cover behind anyway. In the central elevator terminal, several banks of lifts lined the walls. Three Atlesian guards wandered about on random patrol, two on the raised central platform and one walking around the perimeter of the room near where Cinder's hallway emptied out. This last guard was the one that saw her first, as she calmly walked into the central hub.

"You there, you shouldn't be in here." The guard said in an authoritative tone. His interjection attracted the attention of the other two guards, and all three of them went for their sidearms. "Stop!"

Rather than follow these clear and simple instruction laid down by the security personnel, Cinder opted for the second option: violence. As the closest guard cleared his holster, Cinder dashed forward, her arm wrapping around his wrist and pinning the arm to her side and the weapon past her and useless. Cinder spun and put her back to the guard's side, keeping his arm trapped with her left arm wrapped around it as her right delivered elbow strikes to the man's head and back. A few more elbows, and she pulled his pinned arm free and kicked him in the side, sending the man sprawling to the ground and his gun clattering across the floor. The other guards cleared the raised platform, stun batons in their hands as they jumped to aid their comrade too late.

Cinder stepped back and held out her hands, bathing them in fire as a pair of sleek black swords appeared in her grasp. Undeterred, the two guards separated just as they made contact, spreading out and forcing Cinder to fight them on two fronts. The woman took the multiple directions in stride, blocking strikes from both sides with grace and precision. The two attacked in unison, the right guard going high and the left guard going low, but even their combined attacks were no match as Cinder blocked and counterattacked flawlessly. After pushing the left guard away with a nasty kick, the woman focused on the guard to her left in earnest, both swords flashing wildly as he struggled to block her strikes with his single baton. Sure enough, he allowed a strike to push his baton downward. Cinder put her two swords together in a cross block and pushed hard, effectively punching the man in the face and sending him flying. The last guard struggled to return to the fight, seeing his last ally fall. Still, he charged Cinder with a savage yell, his baton held out for a powerful strike. Cinder smirked and turned, spinning on one heel to lodge the other one behind his ear in a powerful roundhouse kick. The blow knocked the soldier out long before he ever hit the ground, and after he crumpled next to the central platform, the room was quiet once more. Cinder allowed her summoned blades to dissipate, her eyes flashing gold momentarily as a sign of her stolen power. No, not stolen. _Earned_. That maiden had been to weak to deserve power such as this. The fact that she had been taken down by three people, no matter how prepared, more than reinforced that point.

As Cinder reveled in the rush of power, the faint chime of a descending elevator car caught her attention. The woman strode over to where the door would open, and could faintly hear a conversation from the guards inside.

"Hey man, do you know the Wi-Fi password?" One guard asked. _Oh, this is too easy._ Cinder thought to herself. The car came to a rest, but the doors did not open at first, giving the other guard a chance to respond.

"It's Beacon, but replace the 'e' with a three, and add a pound symbol at the end." The other guard replied, just as the doors opened. When they did, both guards were surprised to see a woman in all black and a mask standing in front of the elevator. Upon further inspection, they were even more surprised to see their fellow guards strewn across the ground like narcoleptic convention. Cinder smiled at both men widely, and stepped into the elevator car between them casually, even as they backed into their individual corners with their hands on their pistols.

After a quick tumble in the elevator, Cinder reached the communication level. As she stepped out, she opened her scroll and entered the password that the guards had so carelessly passed onto her.

"That's handy." She commented, walking past the prone bodies of the two unconscious men that had contributed to her ride up. Since neither of them were awake to accept them, thanks weren't really necessary anyway. Cinder stepped up to the wide banks of communication monitors, marveling at how easy it had been to get into something as important as the CCT. In fact, it was likely that even that bumbling oaf Roman could have pulled off a heist such as this. _These Kingdoms. Their ability to communicate is their greatest asset, and they guard it like a water spigot._ Cinder shook her head at the deplorable security measures. The woman took the nearest seat at a terminal and powered it up, logging in with credentials she'd nicked off of another student. No need to blow her cover with a password.

Just as she input the last command and uploaded the virus, a black queen chess piece appeared on the glowing screen. In response, every other screen in the room lit up with a matching chess piece, signifying that the virus had spread to the entire Tower. Cinder smirked at the outcome, but the expression faded as her earpiece crackled.

 _"You've got company. The General and the Headmaster have broken off from the party. Professor Horst and his companion have left as well."_ Emerald's voice reported, a small amount of static trying in vain to cloud her words. Cinder frowned, and stood from her chair to return to the elevator. There was no guarantee that the guardians of Beacon were headed towards the Tower, but Cinder couldn't risk the chance. Just as she reached the doors, however, they opened on the orders of another. Cinder gasped in surprise and stepped back, as did the person in the elevator.

The little red head that had given Roman so much trouble at the docks a few months back stood before her, clad in her battle gear and wielding that insufferable scythe of hers. Their eyes met as Ruby appraised Cinder as well, and the masked woman slowly drew her swords from her back. Ruby noticed the action, and her grip on the scythe's trigger tightened.

"So, you must be the one that knocked out the guards downstairs." Ruby accused, her brow furrowing as Cinder stepped back to give herself more room to maneuver. The little girl wouldn't be difficult to take out, but attracting attention could prove disastrous if Ironwood, Ozpin, or the two strangers got involved. Little did Cinder know, Summer was already relaying their location, as well as Cinder's appearance. The two stared each other down, neither willing to make the first move as the large clock at the top of the tower ticked ominously, the reverberations running all the way down the elevator shaft to be felt in the floor. When the vibrations ebbed from the most recent tick, Cinder pushed forward, her blades outstretched to end the fight quickly. Ruby anticipated this, and pulled the trigger. The reaper's shot went wide as Cinder crossed her swords and pushed the scythe upward, sending the high caliber round into the ceiling and raining broken tiles down upon the two. The masked woman tried to scrape her way down Crescent Rose and remove Ruby's hands, but the redhead jumped backward and hooked the blade behind Cinder's back. To avoid the coming slash, Cinder bent forward and slid back, ducking underneath the blade as Ruby pulled it towards herself. When Cinder stood back up, Ruby had rotated the massive scythe _somehow_ in the confined elevator to where it pointed behind her, and fired again. This resulted in one heck of a kick as the young Guardian was sent careening forward. The momentum drove Ruby's foot into Cinder's chest and pushed the two out into the banks of terminals. Cinder landed in a crouch, catching her breath from the surprising attack. Ruby landed in a ready stance, her scythe held horizontally with the blade behind her, ready to begin a deadly dance. Cinder set her mouth into a grim line, and pushed forward.

The muted sound of combat could be heard from outside the tower, metal clashing with metal, before a concussion could be heard. Almost as if in response, the windows on the floor where Ruby and Cinder were shattered, and Cinder fell backwards from another unexpected kick. Ruby followed the woman out the window, her cloak billowing behind her as the two streaked towards the ground. Cinder regained her bearings and transformed her dual swords into their bow form. Using her powers to summon a pair of arrows, she sent the explosive tipped projectiles streaking towards Ruby. To her surprise, the reaper used another blast from Crescent Rose to adjust her trajectory, dodging the arrows and streaking towards her even faster. Cinder blocked the blunted edge of Crescent Rose's head, and together the two separated just in time to land safely on the cobblestone below. As soon as they recuperated, the two joined blades again, Cinder blocking and slashing with her more defensive but smaller swords as Ruby twirled Crescent Rose around her with ease and grace. If Cinder were not the warrior that she was, this would have gone poorly. But what she had lost to the element of surprise, the masked woman more than made up for in experience. Soon, it was Ruby sidestepping and backing up to avoid vicious slashes from Cinder's obsidian blades, and the din of metal on metal became louder and more frenzied as Cinder pressed the attack. Sure enough, she noticed a gap in Ruby's guard after a downward swipe, and brought both blades forward in a cross cut. What she did not anticipate was the round the Ruby fired into the ground, sending her into the air and away from Cinder's swords. Either that particular cartridge had been explosive, or Cinder had greatly underestimated the size of Ruby's bullets, but in either case the explosion from the impact as well as the falling cobblestone afterward generated a lot of noise.

Cinder glanced around for any witnesses, and cursed when she saw the strange woman that had show up recently. Spirit stood on top of one of the rooftops Cinder herself had been running just minutes prior, her masked gaze locked on Cinder's own hidden features. The presence of the new Guardian gave Cinder pause, and suddenly this wasn't a situation she was entirely in control of anymore. This female was an unknown variable, and such errors in their plan could not be tolerated. That being said, Cinder was nothing if not resourceful. Planning her next three steps as she did so, Cinder flipped backward away from Ruby and drew three arrows, her clothing glowing a burning orange as she channeled her powers. The trio of bolts appeared as if out of thin air, first coming into being as ashes before solidifying into obsidian arrows with barbed heads, and then shot forth toward Ruby with blinding speed, and the newly minted Guardian was forced to jump back or be blasted away. The redhead flipped backward through the air even as Spirit descended from the rooftop, Hope flying behind her discreetly before disappearing again. When Ruby landed, Cinder was nowhere in sight.

"What?!" Ruby cried indignantly, looking around for any sign of the mysterious woman. "No way!" Unlike Ruby, who had to look away, Spirit sprinted right past the stunned redhead, her golden gaze focused on the retreating form of Cinder as the woman cut down an alleyway. Spirit jumped into the air and Blinked to the entrance to the alley. When she landed, she was again clad in her armor, helmet, and cloak. Thorn, the vicious hand cannon she had stolen from the Hive, gleamed darkly in her hand as she headed down the alley. Cinder's fleeing footsteps echoed off the brick walls, and Spirit Blinked from corner to corner in an effort to catch up to the fleeing woman. Ruby used her speed to catch up as well, and the two Guardians together managed to catch up to the mysterious woman just as she was descending down a manhole into the sewers below. Cinder noticed the two following her, and cursed again as they sprinted towards her. In an effort to make some space, Cinder dropped from the ladder into the dimly lit sewer below. Cinder looked up in irritation as the heavy metal lid clamped down onto the frame, undoubtedly to be lifted again at any moment as the two continued their chase.

 _She was in an evening dress just moments ago, and the other one was nowhere to be found!_ Cinder mentally raged, watching the hatch as the seconds ticked by. Sweat dripped from her brow as she waited, her hands gripping the guards of her swords as she anticipated the next bout. Cinder was no beginner Huntress, even before she had undertaken their mission to change the world. But the Guardians were an unknown variable, though she had no idea they were called such. Spirit and Horst were doing a bang up job of throwing wrenches into a plan years in the making, and there was no question that her master would be thoroughly displeased if this step of the campaign fell through. She stared up at the lid, then blinked in confusion as it refused to budge. The two had been right behind her, and they were both faster than she was. If they weren't coming down, what were they doing? Despite her skill, Cinder wasn't sure if she could handle both of her pursuers at the same time. Ruby had proven better than their initial observations had described, almost to the point of adding her to the list of candidates. The unidentified woman in the helmet was another story entirely: no one in their extensive connections had ever seen her until the day of the dance, and such ghosts were always an issue in schemes such as Cinder's.

Just as she was contemplating her predicament, a whisper of air in the otherwise dead corridor of water and stone attracted Cinder's gaze, and she stared into the creeping darkness in suspicion. The tunnels were largely abandoned, a trait that had made them pivotal in the White Fang's movements. A few old lights, powered by the grid that ran between street and sewer, provided small golden pools of weak light, but beyond that the only Yet, as she stared into the inky blackness, Cinder knew she wasn't alone. A distortion in the air, as if she were looking through a cloud of gas, darted from the other side of the running river of filth. Cinder would have attributed it to dancing methane pockets, had it not been for the subtle rasp of metal that accompanied the movement. Acting more on instinct than anything, Cinder brought her obsidian blade up in defense, and the clack of bone on metal echoed through the sewer as the strange woman from earlier emerged from her cloak. She held a strange dagger made completely of bone, wrapped in rough leather, and held it in a reverse grip as both the dagger's rough shape as well as the woman's armored gauntlets prevented Cinder's swords from cutting into the woman's hands. Cinder gritted her teeth in rage at the possible threat to their plans; these newcomers would ruin everything if left unchecked.

"Can't have you running off, can we? You should know that sewers for cities as large as these have entrances every fifty paces." The woman lectured, then pulled her dagger downward. The sudden change of force pulled Cinder's guard apart, and a spin kick sent the half Maiden sprawling into the water. Cold water and other substances Cinder didn't even want to think about cascaded down her legs as she splashed into the river of muck. When she regained her stance, Cinder looked up in a mixture of apprehension and rage. Spirit tossed her dagger from hand to hand as she bounced on the balls of her feet, clearly ready for a fight. How dare this strange woman beat her back like this! Even with her indignation and anger fueling her urge to fight, Cinder knew that she would have to get away fast. Too much hinged on her; if she was captured or killed, the whole plan would fall apart. And as a shallow gash on her shoulder began to trickle blood down her arm, Cinder realized that this strange woman was in the mood for prisoners.

The echo of running footsteps from somewhere else in the tunnels sealed Cinder's decision. As the Hunter prepared for round two, Cinder stomped her foot hard into the slow moving flow of muck, then channeled as much fore as she could muster. Just as Spirit moved forward, Ruby appeared from around the corner, and steam flooded the tunnel as Cinder evaporated the water in the area. Ruby covered her face to protect it from the onrushing cloud of superheated steam, and in doing so didn't see Spirit until it was too late. Instead of the Hunter tracking Cinder down and bringing her back for questioning, both Guardians took a tumble down the narrow stone walkway, allowing Cinder to climb to the opposite side and disappear down a smaller slipway.

Muffled cursed could be heard from underneath the helmet as Spirit and Ruby wrestled to untangle themselves from each other, the effort becoming very difficult due to their intertwined cloaks. After some struggling and the threat of cutting them apart, the two Guardians finally separated. As the steam slowly died down, it became painfully clear that the woman they had been chasing was gone. Spirit sent Ruby a simmering glare, though the reaper couldn't tell because of the obscuring helmet.

"Uh...whoops?" Ruby offered, quite unhelpfully as Spirit sighed in frustration. It wasn't really Ruby's fault, what with the steam and all, but Horst really had to step up equipment lectures in his Guardian training. Honestly, it wasn't like they wore the helmets for fashion's sake!

"It's alright, Ruby. What's important is we stopped her from whatever she was planning. Let's get back to the ballroom and inform Ozpin on what happened." Spirit said dejectedly, somewhat irritated that she didn't get to slice that little spy's throat. Her bloodthirsty nature was more out of protection of the students than any malice, but she clutched the dagger tightly all the same. Whomever this woman was, she was very skilled; good enough to hold off a Bladedancer with a sword, something many Hive Knights had tried and failed to do in the past. In addition, whatever she was doing at the CCT needed to be investigated as well. They needed to figure out what happened.

After winning free of the nastiness that was Beacon's waste disposal system, something Ruby was only too happy to be rid of, the two backtracked to Beacon's banquet hall and met back up with Horst and the others. A brief summary of what had transpired left the upper echelon of Beacon's leadership troubled, to say the least.

"And you're sure you didn't see her face? This may be someone we've encountered before, like the woman we fought the night we met Ruby." Glynda prodded gently, but both Spirit and Ruby shook their heads in the negative.

"She did seem familiar, but she was wearing a mask, and didn't talk. It was all we could do just to keep up with her, and even then she outsmarted us in the sewers." Ruby said dejectedly. "Kinda sucks that our bad guy catching record is oh for tree, eh?" No one laughed at the attempt of a joke. Ruby just tried her best to crawl up inside herself and die, with all the unimpressed looks she was getting. Barring Ruby's halfhearted attempt at comedy, Spirit and Horst exchanged looks.

"I wonder what she was doing in the CCT." It was a statement, not a question, and Spirit knew the next move. She crossed her arms in front of her, concealing the wolf head on her Crest of the Alpha Lupi momentarily. Horst held out his hand, and Switch appeared above it, his facets spinning wildly as he examined the CCT directives from a remote connection.

"The woman used a male student's log in, so there's no telling whether he willingly gave her the password or she stole it upon enrollment." The Ghost reported. "Barring that, she uploaded a worm that infected the entire communications center with a back door administrative access point, capable of remote entry. The worm is too simple to have branched out to the other towers, but if we don't remove it there will definitely be problems." Ironwood grimaced with anger as he ran his gloved hand through his graying hair in frustration.

"We can't alter the firmware of the CCT without affecting the entire network. Unless we had a version of the CCT that we could update the communication hub without the worm, we can't remove it. And we have no idea what purpose it will serve later." The Atlesian general lamented. In further irritation, he noticed that the extra guards he had posted to stand watch had been entirely useless. Horst shrugged at the General's announced frustrations, and looked back at Switch.

"Well, fix it." He said simply. The Ghost rolled his eye dramatically and flew around Horst's head a few times.

"Oh yeah, Switch. Here's a problem from a local platform that is updated from a broad network. Without having any administrator access or secured back ups, just fix the problem Switch." He complained, bobbing with each point as he flew around in a circle. Ozpin, Glynda, and the others all gave him an expectant look.

"Can you do it or not?" Ironwood asked through gritted teeth. Switch turned and focused on him, the glowing blue eye rotating as if he were zooming in.

"Oh, I already did. I was just giving you grief about it." The Ghost replied cheerily, causing nearly everyone present to face fault. "When I was decoding messages from the Vanguard earlier this week, I saved an image of the CCT's communication run times and operating system. All I did was update the afflicted software with the older version, then had the global network push the update." Switch said pleasantly, floating over to the now upright Horst as everyone else found their feet rather quickly.

"Will there be any backlash with the global connection? Without all four towers operating correctly, the network will fail." Glynda was right to be worried, but Hope fluttered into existence on Spirit's shoulders. The Ghost's glimmering wings flared brightly for a moment as she materialized before they faded to their normal ivory sheen.

"When Switch made the change, it was done so quickly and updated so fast that the information transmitted will be largely the same. The other towers won't notice anything more than a slightly larger amount of information packets lost in transition, something that occurs normally anyway." The white raven explained. "The only problems would have been local, and once he amended the time change, everything was back to normal. The only downside is, we haven't fortified the tower against another attack like this. Removing such access would eliminate Ozpin and Ironwood's administrative abilities." When she finished her exposition, Hope started preening, though no bug alive could hope to feast on her ceramic body. Ozpin, Glynda, and Ironwood all heaved sighs of relief, then turned to look at each other.

"So, what do we do now?" Glynda asked. Ironwood glanced between her and Ozpin, the worry lines on his forehead deepening as he considered the next course of action. Ozpin, however, provided the answer.

"There's nothing we can do, unfortunately. Whomever they are, they will discover that their ploy has failed, at least on this front. We can't guarantee they won't try to compromise the tower again, so we must act as if it already is. In matters of secrecy, speak only in person, and turn your scrolls off before doing so." The mug toting Headmaster shook his in disappointed resignation. "Beyond that, we must prepare for the upcoming Vytal Festival. That is all we can do."


	13. Chapter 13

Take that Cinder.

 **Chapter 13**

* * *

Ikora examined the holographic display of the strange Gateway technology Cayde could not stop talking about with curiosity. The technology itself – a gateway for transporting matter across space not unlike the Vex's own Time Gates – was not very difficult to understand, or even create for that matter. What had aroused Ikora's suspicion was the tenacity with which Cayde was chasing its activation. The last time the usually laid back Hunter had been so adamant about something, he had convinced a Guardian to establish a transmat zone on the Dreadnought. As he looked at her with barely restrained excitement, Ikora could only raise a brow.

"Cayde, why do you want to set this up so badly?" The Warlock asked as nicely as she could. "Horst and Spirit already said that the general public are unaware of Guardians. If we create a bridge between Remnant and Earth before they are ready, we may simply earn another enemy instead of an ally." Cayde looked around the command center secretively instead of replying to her. For some reason, he was avoiding Zavala's attention more than usual. If his antics weren't so amusing, Ikora would tell him that the Commander had gone to the Lords of Iron to consult with his former mentor, Saladin. But a Warlock had to get her giggles somehow.

"Well, we've got to reinforce our communications more than send any more Guardians." Cayde said defensively. "But eventually, a quick point to point transportation system between worlds will come in handy. Not only that, the Gateway system seems to run on a similar network to the Vex. Who knows what we could do, the things we could learn once we master this thing." Ikora shook her head and leaned down to the table, idly examining the inner contours of the gate as she considered his request.

"And who knows what we would unleash. Every portal our Guardians encounter in the wilds of Venus and the ruins of Mars belch nothing but mechanical abominations. You would really place one here in the City?" She tried not to outright call him a moron, but Warlocks were not known for their kindness. Really, no Guardian was. "I'm sorry Cayde, but without more information I can't support this idea."

The Hunter sighed heavily, and moved further away from the wall. With his natural propensity for sleight of hand, it was only now after nearly an hour of discussion that Ikora noticed the medium sized white box in Cayde's hand. It was a container that Ikora had not seen for some time. Lined with special materials almost exclusively created and used by the Cryptarchs and the Speaker, this small box was roughly the size of a hand cannon, barely able to be held without two hands. Despite the fact that she knew the surface was rugged and easy to grasp, the box's appearance from afar seemed smooth as glass. The last time a container such as the one Cayde was now idly tossing in the air had been seen, the Traveler had been dead for only months. And judging from the slight glow to it, the box was full.

It was a container designed to house Ghosts.

Suddenly, Cayde's request made much more sense to Ikora. His mission to the Dreadnought had been secretive and not necessarily well known among the Guardians, both due to his incredible haul and the dark reminder of what can happen should a Guardian fall to the Taken. He wasn't planning on going to Remnant himself, but rather he would send a way to recruit actual Guardians from Remnant. With Horst's observations still floating around the command center, the idea had a lot of merit. Perhaps even enough to risk exposing the Tower to the Vex subsystems.

"You realize that we will need Holiday for this, right?" Ikora said with a smile. Cayde grinned at her change in behavior, and the box disappeared beneath his cloak into a space that seemed to small to conceal such a package.

"I figured as much. Luckily, I already showed her the plans, and we have Guardians scrounging the Cosmodrome and the Ishtar Collective for parts. I'm also enlisting Master Rahool to study the network and see if we can prevent the Vex from accessing it. Same for the Gateway that is on Remnant." Cayde held up his hands defensively. "Holiday says that the original system was designed for non living cargo anyway, but she's confident we could expand if necessary. The point is, I need to deliver a package of incredible importance, and things are too fragile and costly to send a single Guardian across all that space for a delivery. We need a better option." Ikora couldn't agree more. While it was prudent to wait until Remnant was ready for the awareness of the Guardians, she couldn't deny the benefit of the Gateway system. Even if they could only pass equipment through, it would be a huge boon for establishing further communications and building relations. The only foreseeable issue with that would likely be the fragile peace that Remnant enjoyed. If the Guardians were seen backing a single kingdom when a war broke out, they would likely have no choice but to back their host country. History could attest time and again that no matter how bad the wolf at the door was, mankind had no qualms stabbing each other in the back. Still, the Gateway had merit. Ikora examined the blueprints that Cayde had borrowed (stolen) from Rasputin's comm buoy out in the Cosmodrome. The materials were simple and common given enough Guardians were doing the search, save for a few choice components. The last time she had seen any of the items listed at the bottom, they had been in the writings of an old Warlock that had long abandoned combat for the City in favor of a more intellectual pursuit. The best lead they had at completing the Gateway was finding Osiris.

"I have a way to collect all but a few of these parts. Tell one of the acolytes to dig Cipher-10 out of the library. I need to make a call." Ikora reported, stepping away from the table and calling up her Ghost. The small white sphere that appeared and its Guardian began talking discreetly, and Cayde took that as his cue to leave. Rather than make one of the acolyte's day with an order from the great Ikora Rey (honestly, who understood Warlocks?) Cayde figured he'd run that particular errand himself. Besides, the Cryptarch library was very cool from the point of view of a guy with sticky fingers.

Stowing his box inside of his cloak for safe keeping (by its nature, the container was immune to transmat, another reason why the Gateway system was necessary.), Cayde whistled a merry tune as he left the command center, trotting up the steps past Eris Morn's Emporium of Dark and Nasty Things as he liked to call it. Really it was just the creepy woman standing by holding her equally creepy glowing rock, offering rewards for any and all efforts by Guardians against the Hive and the Taken with artifacts and mysterious stuff she and her Hidden pals had gathered.

Once he was past the three eyed creepy lady, Cayde breathed in a deep breath of the City air, crisp and clean from the Tower's heights. Down in the City itself, smells were a different story. Still, it didn't reek of body odor like the Fallen or Cabal, and there was no lingering stench of decay like with the Hive. That made any weird smell of the City three hundred times better. The morning had just started, the sun peeking over the horizon and framing the Traveler with rings of light. Every time Cayde looked at the huge, floating orb, he couldn't help but feel reassured by its presence. Zavala considered it a reminder of all the Guardians that had been lost, and Ikora mourned the Golden Age and its many cultural and technological advances. When Cayde looked up at the big ball, he saw something different: because that big bastard had sacrificed itself, they were still alive. That was something to be happy about, he thought.

The banks of elevators that led downward were easy enough to reach, just past the hangar doors. When the metal doors separated, Cayde thumbed the switch for the twenty second floor, far down the Tower. As the car began to descend, Cayde tapped the box hidden by his cloak, drumming his fingers along its edges both to pass the time and reassure himself that it was still there. After his resurrection, Cayde had spent a lot of time in the outer City, the slums closer to the walls than the Traveler. While any City dweller would swear up and down that the worst, most run down City apartment was better than trying to live outside of the City, Cayde had learned to guard his pockets in the shadier parts of town. That lesson followed through today, as he protected five very precious items and kept them close to his chest, so to speak.

The lower he got into the Tower, the more distant the hum of the elevator gears became, until he was so deep into the structure that the sound was drowned out completely. The Tower had ground floor entrances for dealing with the citizens of the City, but once you got past the first two levels, access from below ceased entirely. The Tower was a dragon roost more than anything, only accessible by the ships Guardians used to cross the stars. Some in the City had complained, stating that it made the Guardians too alien and inhuman, separating them from those they protected. The City council had once complained that the formation of Guardian factions – the Future War Cult, New Monarchy, Dead Orbit and so on – implied that the Guardians could turn away from their duty to protect the City and its people. Saladin, who had been Commander during that period, had been simple in his reply: it was in the City's best interests that the trained killers be kept to their own. He said it not to demonize the Guardians, champions of Light and slayers of the Darkness, but rather to impart on the citizens that patting a Guardian on the back when in the past he had been killed by a knife to the ribs wasn't a sound plan. The Guardians were warriors, and extended exposure to the world of peace often made them seem out of place, or off balanced.

Cayde stopped whistling when the elevator car came to a halt, the doors gliding open almost silently as he stepped into the dark corridor. The halls and lifts on the top of the tower were furnished with metal, ceramic, and stone, to prevent the exposure to the elements from eroding the equipment. Deep within the Tower itself, the luxury of a few carpets here and there were more practical. Unfortunately, the hall Cayde found himself in had been carpeted nearly a hundred years previously, and the thick red material soaked up all sound. The lights were fixed to the walls, dimmed almost to the same amount of light as archaic torches, without the risk of burning the mothballs that seemed to hang in the air. Truthfully, the last time Cayde had seen the ceiling on this floor, a Sunsinger had accidentally activated his abilities and sent scorched half of a room. Ikora had been furious at the time, snatching burning pages out of the air with fire in her eyes. Needless to say, a great effort had been undertaken to digitalize the countless tomes within the libraries, with only partial success. Those that were not converted to a digital format were treated to be flame retardant, and all of it was done by the careless Warlock that had nearly immolated them in the first place. Warlocks took their books seriously.

Cayde stepped down the hallway, past numerous open doors that led into little alcoves full of data terminals and dusty pages. He peeked into each one, slowing his pace slightly as he walked by, looking for a single Warlock in particular. Several robed Cryptarchs brushed past him, many offering disapproving looks as they went. Cayde ignored them, unsure of whatever their beef was with him this time, and honestly not caring. They could argue about the thread count of Dredgin Yor's cloak all day; Cayde had work to do.

After clearing the hallway of rooms with no success, Cayde rounded the bend and entered a much more open area. This time, it was a better lit and much larger chamber, the walls visible in sand colored marble, with white tiles decorating the ceiling high above. Where one could not see the walls, wooden bookshelves stretched from floor to ceiling, stuffed and cataloged with texts from all over the solar system. Contrary to the lights in the hallway before, large golden chandeliers dangled from chains attached to the ceiling. Also unlike the previous lights, these were lit with actual flame, though no wax or fuel seemed apparent. Whatever fed the chandeliers, they had been burning since long before Cayde came to the Tower. Several Cryptarchs huddled around wooden tables, each one covered in books and data tablets on every topic known to man, and even a few unknown. Their hushed tones discussed everything from war strategy to abstract theory to practical and impractical history. It was truly a Warlock's paradise.

Cayde looked around the expansive room, his boots clacking more slowly against the polished floor as he slowly scanned for his target. Sure enough, a table nearly groaning under the strain of so many open books attracted his attention, as well as the faint tip of an antenna. As he got closer, Cayde had to actually go around the wall of books, but he found the Warlock he was looking for.

An Exo Warlock in cream colored robes sat in a high wooden chair, pouring over an immense open book as Cayde rounded the unintended barrier of reading material. His sported antennae on either side of his head where a human would have ears, and his eyes were covered by a broad colored screen. Even his mouth, which most Exos had jaws to simulate speech and made it easier to communicate, did not move or detach. The panels of his head were done in a checkered pattern of light green and dark green, and the inner parts matched the cream color of his robes. The robes themselves were studded and woven in horizontal stripes, the hardened materials that Warlocks used in their armor intricately hidden from view. His exposed armor at the gauntlets and boots, simple plates that protected him from day to day harm, were colored a deep forest green. The robes parted at his waist, following both legs with a central broad piece of fabric dangling in between. Many Exos were designed to look as human as possible, to lessen the divide between the two peoples. Whoever had created Cipher-10 had wanted him to look quite different. As Cayde stood there, the Warlock continued to read uninterrupted, showing no sign that he was aware Cayde was even present. The Hunter cleared his throat after a few more seconds, and Cipher finally looked up from his book in something akin to surprise, though his facial construction made reading his expressions difficult.

"Ah, Cayde-6. Do you need me for something, sir?" Cipher was quiet and calm in his words, his voice more at home among the storied halls of the library than on the battlefield. Even so, many eyewitnesses could attest that if Cipher wanted to be heard, he could be. Cayde nodded in affirmative and placed his hands behind his back.

"Yeah, got something of a retrieval mission in mind. We need you to track someone down so that we can resurrect the Gateway program." Cayde informed. "We've recently been operating on a possible allied planet, and the Gateway system is the only cost-effective way to ship materials and eventually people to and from Earth." Cipher looked away from Cayde and went back to reading his giant book, still listening but also pursuing his current goal.

"I see. Who will I be tracking down?" Cipher asked, and Cayde could only assume that beneath his visor, the Warlock's eyes were scanning the pages in rote memorization. Cayde paused for dramatic effect, then breathed out the name.

"Osiris." As soon as the name left Cayde's mouth, Cipher's head snapped up. Without casting a second glance at the book he had been dissecting for the past two days, the Warlock shut the immense volume with a resounding thud, the density of the aging pages not enough to muffle the sound of the impact. Cipher stood from his chair and stood square in front of Cayde, just as the Hunter had anticipated. After all, Cayde was asking him to hunt down a legend.

"You are aware that I will require help, yes?" Cipher asked monotonously. Cayde grinned and threw a thumb upward, indicating the command center.

"Yeah, Ikora is calling that one in. Your partner for this mission is mopping up on Mars. We should hear from him soon."

Up in the command center, Ikora was waiting as her Ghost, Mystery, continued seeking a stable signal from the other half of their party. A quick message from Cayde's Ghost, Wager, indicated that Cipher-10 was on board with the mission. Now, with Zavala off doing who knows what with the Lords of Iron, it was her duty to call in the next Guardian. A pity that Zavala wasn't available for it, too. Apprentices to Saladin usually got along well, when they weren't trying to kill each other.

 **Mars, the Buried City...**

Cabal were used to being fearsome. They were raised from a young age, chosen to become warriors and trained nearly from birth to obey every order, forge bonds with their brethren strong enough to surpass death, and never retreat. Once they came of age, the Cabal were issued armor and weaponry, and instructed on its use and care with almost religious reverence. Once the Cabal leave on a military action, they are not allowed to return unless they are victorious. It was a proud and honor driven culture, and the fact that the standard Legionnaire stood ten feet tall and weighed nearly a ton definitely weighed into their favor. In short, the Cabal were an intimidating sight, and would break anything in their path.

Unless you broke them first.

Multiple rounds from a New Monarchy issued auto rifle impacted in the Cabal's helmet. The rounds were too much for the armor's integrity, and the bullets penetrated its shell and burst the ugly beaked head within. The helmet popped off as the Cabal Legionnaire choked on a combination of its own blood and lack of pressure in its suit, compressed air spurting from several sources before the space turtle collapsed to the ground. A Phalanx, a Cabal soldier equipped with a sturdy metal shield, took most of the rounds into his protected front. Two bullets ran underneath his hardened shield, and the Cabal grunted in pain as his knee spurted with blood. Weakened, he was unable to turn as their enemy strafed around to his unprotected back, and proceeded to fill the armored beast with lead. The inside of the shield was painted black and purple, coated in the ichor of its previous owner as he too slumped to the ground, joining many of his brothers that had fought in vain this day.

The orange sand of Mars whipped up as a ghostly wind came from across the plains, the only movement outside the forward operating base the Cabal had built in humanity's absence. Two dozen corpses, mostly Legionnaires and Phalanxes with several Psions – short, wiry specialists with strange telekinetic powers and heightened intellect – littered the ground and stained the sands almost black with their blood. Their leader, a Centurion, gasped weakly as he struggled to grasp a slug rifle with dead fingers. The Cabal had received a burst of fire to great for his personal overshield to withstand, and Guardian rounds had severed his protected spinal cord even despite the beast's natural plate armor and reinforced battle suit. The Centurion tried again in vain to lift his weapon again, and his labored breathing attracted the attention of their attacker. A single Guardian had wiped out nearly thirty Cabal with the ease that a child would knock over a stack of wooden blocks. And now, with a metallic clack, that Guardian's boot now stood on the Centurion's weapon.

Golden boots and greaves covered the Guardian's feet and legs, the spindled branches of the tree emblazoned on all Iron Banner equipment climbing the shins of the greaves towards the knees. The armor wrapped around his legs entirely, a configuration considered uncomfortable and unnecessary by all but the most stubborn of Guardians. A collage of bullets, shotgun shells, and even two grenades hung from a metal carrier that served as his armored chest piece, a design known as the Armamentarium, and two sloping shoulder pauldrons hugged his form snugly, the metal flowing down his arms and breaking only where it separated to allow for joint movement. The tree of the Iron Banner decorated the shoulders and forearms of this golden tinted armor as well. His helmet was reminiscent of an ancient Templar design, a nearly square helmet pockmarked with holes and had two narrow eye slits, the tree of the Iron Banner hammered into the forehead of the helmet. Its inner systems were just as up to date as the most advanced Hunter helm, but its appearance borrowed heavily from the armored Crusaders of old. The armor was gilded gold, and his under suit a muted combination of brown and darker gold. The New Monarchy rifle was clutched in one hand, but the other armored gauntlet wrapped around the Cabal's mouthpiece.

"Where is the Primus?" The tone was cold, uncaring, and entirely devoid of mercy. The Cabal uttered a guttural reply, its own injuries as well as the Cabal tongue unintelligible to nearly every Guardian that fought them.

 _"Your honor is stained, coward. I will never betray the Primus!"_ The Centurion snarled. The Guardian cocked his head to one side, as if trying to decipher his words of defiance, and then replied in the alien's own tongue. His words were slurred and poorly pronounced, a product of improper training and a lack of the necessary anatomy for the language, but they were still understandable.

 _"You know nothing of honor. You would shame even the most deceitful liar."_ Beneath the Centurion's ruined helmet, his pig button eyes widened slightly at the fact that the Guardian not only understood his words, but replied in kind. A coughing sputter was the Cabal's surprised reply, but the appearance of a Ghost cut off any further defiance from the dying behemoth.

"There's a communication channel opening from the Vanguard. Ikora says it's urgent." The Ghost's shell was cobalt, with bright lines of white at the separation of its crown. The voice was definitely pre-Golden Age Australian, a jolly tone in honor of the hardy folk that had dominated the southern continent of Earth for centuries. The Titan turned his head to acknowledge his Ghost, but his iron grip remained on the Cabal's head.

"This is Magnus. Go ahead." The Titan said lowly into the comm channel. A smattering of feedback was the immediate response, before his Ghost cleared up the transmission. Once the interruption was handled, Ikora Rey's smooth voice echoed from Earth.

 _"Hello Magnus. How's Mars?"_ The Titan looked around, taking into account how corpsy he had made the area in under a minute. Seriously, it was almost as if the Cabal had killed themselves.

"Having a talk with some of the squatters. Is there something you need me for?" Magnus would never in a million years offer undeserved disrespect toward any of the Vanguard – Lord Saladin would beat the impudence out of him for even considering it – but an unscheduled call in the middle of a war zone was hardly the medium for small talk. Ikora picked up on his impatience, and got right to the point.

 _"You are aware of Horst's mission to Remnant? The possible recruitment opportunity that awaits there? Cayde and I are working on reestablishing the Gateway system – a transit network similar to the Vex's that was once used to move goods around from place to place quickly. Unfortunately, the only person who knows where the rarer components can be found is Osiris. We need you and Cipher-10 to seek him out."_ Ikora explained. At the mention of such a legendary warrior as Osiris, Magnus' grip on the Cabal's helmet tightened, crunching the armor inward with a sickening screech of warping metal and forcing the jagged edges into his captive. The Centurion snarled again, but could not speak for the new shape of his helmet.

The glory for anyone that even spoke to a Guardian as storied as Osiris was great, and reclaiming a Golden Age technology for the Vanguard to use would also be a considerable feather in Magnus' cap. It would also please Saladin immensely if he found out that his own apprentice was out proving himself. The fact that it was in support of Horst was another reason to go. Despite receiving training from Lord Saladin, Lord Shaax had risen from beneath his former mentor to that of an equal, and as such a rivalry between Shaax and Saladin had taken shape in the form of Horst and Magnus' training. Anytime one apprentice surpassed or competed with the other, Shaax and Saladin would go back and forth over it for days. The two masters had taken the contest almost to blows, but Magnus and Horst were more tempered in their relationship, enjoying a friendly rivalry as they stood shoulder to shoulder against the Darkness.

Magnus looked down at his helpless captive, another dead end chasing a target hardly even worth the trouble. As he thought of the chase he would undertake, tracking down a man that had eluded capture centuries, and the things he would learn once they got a hold of the old man...

There was only one thing he could say.

"When do we begin?" His grip strengthened once more, and the Centurion's head was turned into a crumpled, bloodstained chunk of metal, bone, and brains.

* * *

Jaune and Pyrrha stood side by side in front of the holographic display in the auditorium, their eyes running over the missions available to first year students. Ozpin had told them that their specific mission was a sweep and clear of Mountain Glenn: the site of a failed expansion attempt by Vale some time ago. Evidently, the area was overrun by Grimm and not regularly patrolled by the Huntsmen, making it an excellent place for a hideout. It was Jaune's call ultimately, as team leader, but Pyrrha and Ren had both expressed an interest in helping Ozpin however they could. Nora just wanted to break some legs. Beside them, Spirit stood in full gear, her helmeted visage scanning the available missions with disinterest. The Grimm were clearly the primary concern on this planet, though one or two of the missions assigned to the third years involved pacification in White Fang infested zones outside the kingdom. While she had to commend them for recognizing the threat, treat a people that look like animals as if they actually were animals, and you will only deserve the uprising you get. The City had seen its fair share of discrimination in the early days, particularly after many of the Awoken abandoned the Traveler and fled to the Reef. Anyone attempting to sow discord and strife was placed in a fireteam with all Awoken Guardians. They either learned to appreciate that the enemy was the Darkness, or they died. It was a simple, effective method, turning those that had originally spoken out against unity into martyrs for it. Saladin had been a brutal Commander, and was never in a mood to suffer fools. It was what made apprenticing under him so prestigious – and so taxing. Lord Shaax and Commander Zavala had been tutored under Saladin during his time as commander, and word had it that his teachings had only intensified after he went to the Iron Lords.

Spirit was snapped out of her thoughts by a tug on her cloak, and turned her head slightly to see Ren in her peripheral vision. He nodded his head toward the door, where the others were already walking out. So distracted had Spirit been in thinking about the City, she had completely missed JNPR signing up for the mission they had already been told to do. Sure enough, the board was lit up next to a Grimm extermination mission in the south east. It was the perfect cover for their real objective: locate the White Fang base of operation Roman had mentioned when Blake and Sun had infiltrated the recruitment meeting the previous month. That, and they were bringing a professional exterminator, specializing in monsters. Spirit shook her head and followed behind the students, out toward the courtyards where ships were already landing to escort other Huntsmen and Huntresses to their various destinations, both inside the kingdom and out beyond its borders. Up ahead, team JNPR sans Ren had already encountered the Professor that was accompanying them. The brown and green talking blur that was Professor Oobleck was already filling in the students on their duties.

"And don't worry about your bags children, I've taken the liberty of packing all the essentials that will be necessary for this endeavor. Although it seems that our transport is running a bit late, I'm afraid." Everyone but Spirit was familiar with his lightning fast words, having taken notes on the man's lectures for nearly a full school year. The Hunter blinked and paused, processing his words before she could reply.

"I know I'm just along for extra muscle, but there is no way I'm flying in someone else's bird." Her toned brooked no argument, though Jaune and Pyrrha stepped back slightly when they saw Oobleck's eyebrows raise above his glasses. Spirit continued. "Just give me the coordinates, and I can have us there in minutes." Nora and Ren looked between the two adults as an uneasy tension settled over the conversation. By Ozpin's orders, Oobleck was in charge of the students and Spirit was to disappear, making sure that the mission went soundly without really being on the roster. If she flew them there herself, it would make her an official part of the mission.

"I take it you are from Horst's group, yes?" Oobleck adjusted his glasses, the large round spectacles obscuring his reaction to her disagreement with his planned expedition. "Do you have a craft capable of getting us there in a timely fashion? We do not have time on our side, and my understanding of space worthy craft is that they are less mobile in atmosphere when compared to airships." Spirit didn't laugh, so much as outright snort at his question, her sides heaving as she was nearly overcome with mirth. The Beacon bunch all looked at each other as the normally stoic or grumpy Hunter continued to laugh at the incredulity of Oobleck's question. When she finally stopped for breath, though she gasped with a few intermittent chuckles, Spirit looked back up at the history teacher.

"I crossed from another star system in the time it takes you to down a cup of coffee. Speed is not an issue, even if we have to enter orbit and come back down. Besides that, Guardian ships are designed for both space travel and planetary navigation. We'll be fine." Spirit turned her head to one side, more to let the others know than to allow Hope to hear her. The Ghost was, at least at this point in time, literally a part of her. "Hope, can you bring the _Infinite Sky_ in on the eastern landing pad? Nothing flashy, just a quick landing and dust off." Instead of a verbal reply, she simply got the ghostly feeling of a wings flapping nearby, as if a bird had flown too closely to her head.

"I never got to see Professor Horst's ship." Pyrrha said nervously, not wanting to step in between Spirit and Oobleck out of courtesy's sake, but some one had to break the ice that was forming on the two. "It must be pretty cool if it can travel across the stars." Jaune gave her a reassuring bump with his elbow and nodded.

"Yeah. I mean, airships are pretty neat and all, but a spaceship must look like something out of a Spruce Willis movie." Jaune was still wearing the armor Horst had given him, the sight of a young teenage boy bouncing around in Murvaux plate and Peregrine Greaves was something both humorous and unsettling to Spirit. Jaune was a kind, cheerful individual, still growing into his role as a Huntsman and a team leader. The boy was nothing but raw potential, something Pyrrha was already cultivating with his training sessions. But a seasoned warrior like Spirit could only lament the sight of a child in battle armor.

"It's nothing too fancy, but it definitely has room for everyone." Spirit said, her enthusiasm fading as the contagious melancholy Horst found himself in from time to time gripped her deep in her chest. "And speaking of which..." The Hunter trailed off as she looked up past the CCT, and the other five gasped in surprise as the large, dark gray ship streaked from behind the tower. Trails of vapor traced lines through the sky from the wings, though it slowed substantially once the ship got closer to the landing pad. The other students and Huntsmen saw the incoming ship, and several stopped what they were doing to marvel at the more advanced ship. To many, it looked like a top of the line airship from Atlas, and only JNPR was aware of its true ability. The thrusters on its fore and aft wings flared slightly as the _Infinite Sky_ set down on the pad, its landing gear bouncing gently as the ship's mass came to grudging terms with Remnant's gravity. Spirit waved a hand in front of her, and the cargo door lowered itself remotely. Nora and Ren were the closest ones to the large ship, the more animated pinkette grasped her friend at his shoulders.

"Ren! This. Will. Be. AWESOME!" She crowed, and dashed toward the ship faster than anyone else could see. The ninja blinked wearily as he watched her go, then turned and looked at the others with his normal passive expression.

"Well, I guess we're off then." He said with a small smile. Dr. Oobleck and Spirit looked at each other and shrugged, and then together everyone grabbed their things and boarded the ship. When the normal members of JNPR and their teachers reached the _Infinite Sky_ , Nora was already all over the place, examining every crate, ammo box, and racked weapon with childlike wonder as the others continued through the cargo bay and into the actual living quarters.

"Nora, don't touch anything. I keep everything loaded for a reason." Spirit called out, just in time for Nora to place a rocket launcher back on its pegs, following behind the rest and whistling innocently. Spirit shook her head and opened the door at the top of the metal stairs, and led the team into the living quarters. If they were amazed at the armory she had sported in the cargo bay, the somewhat luxurious accommodations they found themselves in now threw the team for another loop. Jaune and Pyrrha found their seats on the couches in the center of the room, looking around for a place to put their things. Spirit noticed their confusion, and pointed toward the cushions.

"There are storage bins underneath for weapons and gear. Your things should fit, and if they don't, let me know." She instructed, and walked through the hall and into the cockpit. Oobleck looked around at the living space, scratching his chin thoughtfully as he examined the modular furniture. Nora and Ren stashed their equipment as Jaune and Pyrrha had, and JNPR arranged themselves around the holographic table in the center of the living room. Oobleck remained standing, his pack still on his back as he instead opted to walk up to the cockpit, where Spirit was getting situated in the pilot seat. He was silent for the most part, watching the Hunter take the controls and run systems checks as he considered their previous disagreement. Now that they were within the safe confines of the _Infinite Sky_ , Hope revealed herself in a shower of Glimmer, alighting onto the head of the seat in front of Spirit, within reach of her dancing hands. After thumbing the gun locks, one of Spirit's hands glided over Hope's head without breaking away from her calm, sure pace.

"Have a seat, Doctor. Maybe you can learn to fly something a little more advanced than those wimpy airships your General is so proud of." Spirit indicated the chair in front of her with a gesture, then her hands returned to the controls. A faint rumble ran through the ship as she fired the thrusters, and Oobleck decided that following her instructions was as much a matter of courtesy as it was personal safety. Setting his pack down at the foot of the gunner's chair, Oobleck quickly strapped in, his campaign hat and jacket flapping around doing little to distract the pilot as she lifted off. Behind them in the crew cabin, JNPR held on for dear life, Jaune and Pyrrha latching onto each other and the couch they sat on while Nora and Ren found small, discreet metal handles to secure themselves to their own seats. The ship lifted off from the landing platform, listing slightly to the left as a breeze picked up from the east. Once Spirit adjusted, their ascent was much more controlled, but also much more intense. The thrusters flared, and the _Infinite Sky_ climbed back up into its domain. The planet's gravity tugged Oobleck into his chair, the professor grunting as the air threatened to leave his lungs. Once the ship cleared Beacon's airspace, Spirit turned it towards the abandoned failure, the massive grave: Mountain Glenn. Spirit pushed the throttle forward, and the _Infinite Sky_ flew toward a darkening landscape. Night was falling.

* * *

"Look, I'm not here to rough you up. Just spill the beans on who hands out your orders, and we'll let you scamper off no strings attached." The alleys of downtown Vale were always a good place to find trouble, although the local riff raff were usually predators, not prey. The White Fang had discreetly taken over most of the disputed turf the gangs of the kingdom had disputed since time forgotten, and as such it was usually patrolled by scruffy Faunus. As White Fang scouts, they were usually smart enough to disappear and report to their captains when the police or Huntsmen came snooping around. Connections in local law enforcement made it easy to disappear when raids were scheduled. If a previously unknown Titan and and his group of Huntresses in training made an unscheduled, unannounced, and unmerciful romp across the city scooping up every rat foolish enough to leave his nose sticking out, however...

That made things more difficult. And as the White Fang scout dropped away from his broken mask, still clutched in Horst's iron grip, scrambling backward and whimpering pitifully. Many new recruits were chosen for their ability to bleed into a crowd, and received little combat training until they had earned their place in the organization. Even if the scout had gotten his knuckles in, there was no way he'd have been prepared for this.

"Look, we get everything in dead drops. We get messages on our scrolls with locations, there isn't a superior we talk to. It's the truth, I swear!" The deer Faunus cried, holding his hands up as if he actually stood a chance of blocking a strike. Horst picked the kid up and patted his shoulders down, brushing the youngster's coat of dirt. The White Fang scout was even younger than Ruby, likely in over his head. As such, Horst wasn't inclined to beat the boy to a pulp for making a poor choice. It was the same sentiment Blake had brought up when they had devised this plan: cut off the head of their leadership, and the rest can survive to disappear. There was no guarantee that the transition would be smooth, or even entirely peaceful at first. But that was why they were there: hunting the leader of the White Fang.

"See? That wasn't so hard, was it? Just tell us the location of the next dead drop, and you're free to go." Horst tried to put as much of a smile into his voice as he could, but the impassive single light of his helmet and his massive build just made him look like a stone cold killer. It was excellent for interrogation, if your targets weren't a bunch of misunderstood snot nosed brats. It was the reason they'd let the other six scouts go, and that was going to be a problem soon. Once they stopped sniveling, the scouts would be reporting Horst and RWBY's activities, and many of the ones they were after would go underground. But Horst had a plan for that too.

"I...er... I'm not supposed to tell anyone about that. They really come down on you hard if you rat them out..." The scout said nervously, twiddling his fingers as if his friends were trying to convince him to sneak out on a school night. Horst stopped his reassuring pats and froze, then heaved a disappointed sigh and rubbed the back up his head.

"I hate to hear that. You see, we're trying to do you a favor, in the long run. But to do that we really need to find somebody." The Titan shook his head again, then held up a finger. "Oh, when I said I wasn't here to rough you up, it was the truth. I am not. She is." Horst pointed behind him. Ruby and Blake stood on one side of the alley, watching for any interruptions, and Weiss was doing the same at the other side. Directly behind Horst, however, Yang was standing defiantly, hand over fist as she popped her knuckles eagerly. The hungry look in her eyes and the intimidating staccato of cracks from her knuckles was more than enough to convince the kid to spill his beans.

A few minutes later, as the misguided youth scampered home to wherever he lived, Blake looked back at Yang and Horst. The blonde grinned widely and flexed her arms proudly.

"Yep. I still got it." The brawler said smugly. Horst shook his head at her antics, and Blake stepped closer.

"If it came down to it, would you have asked Yang to beat him up?" She asked. While she was certain that Yang would be more of an intimidator than a torturer, the prospect of Horst ordering her to put the boots to a kid that had joined the wrong side of a very complicated fight clearly sat poorly with her. Thankfully, Horst waved off her question easily.

"If he had been stubborn about it, I would have knocked him out and had Switch or Summer check his scroll. I'm not above removing scouts, but that's not the point. Everyone we kill in this battle, we won't have when the real fight gets here. Besides, he was just a kid." Horst turned towards her, and Blake enjoyed the somewhat reassuring feeling of guessing his expression underneath the faceless helm. It was an important step for the teacher and student bond, and to see her faith rewarded would have made Blake smile, if they were not running around downtown Vale hunting the organization she had watched grow since her earliest memories.

"I wasn't gonna hurt the guy Blake!" Yang exclaimed from beside her as the five crossed out of the alley, heading towards the eastern side of the city, near the docks. It was always the docks. Blake grimaced at the blonde's volume, but let the irritation run right over her back. She knew that Yang wouldn't have hurt the boy – momma Yang, who had almost raised Ruby – but her reassurance was welcoming. And the loud, brash blonde to her left wasn't going to attract any more attention than the guy standing over six feet tall and wearing full shiny metal armor. The five of them walked down the sidewalk at a leisurely pace; the dead drop they would intercept not due for another thirty minutes anyway. As they walked, Ruby called up a map of the city on her scroll.

"Let's see, the corner of 7th Street and Lagoon Avenue, the delivery is going to be in a gray trash bin near bar." The leader recited. "Actual mission target will be on 5th Street. Whoever we're going to run into we'll probably get there right on time. We may even get to see the delivery." Ruby said eagerly. Everyone could tell she was excited to get into this line of work, chasing leads and following mysterious instructions to get the bad guys. Weiss looked over the instructions as well, then cut her eyes toward Horst.

"No offense, Professor, but you're a little overdressed for a reconnaissance mission. The White Fang will see you coming from a mile away, especially since we've been letting all of their scouts go." The Schnee huffed, crossing her arms as they continued to walk. Blake frowned at the heiress' words, but Horst addressed the complaint before the Faunus had the chance.

"As five people walking around in their territory, we would stick out even if we were invisible. Besides, what was I supposed to do, kill a bunch of kids that don't even know the people they work under are evil?" Horst pulled a broken shard of mask from a pouch on his belt, near the golden Sunbreaker mark he wore. "Fairy tales are full of monsters, to teach kids not to do dumb things. The boy who cried wolf, Goldilocks breaking into a person's home and eating their food; every tale involves and uncompromising outcome for those that do wrong. And sometimes, we have to be the monster. It's the way of things. They won't learn that lesson with a hole in their head." Weiss' eyebrows rose up indignantly, but she managed to keep her tone more defensive than accusatory.

"I wasn't suggesting that you execute them. But couldn't we have, I don't know, knocked them out or something?" The heiress strayed closer to Ruby as they came to a crosswalk, the slow moving traffic providing a temporary barrier as the normal citizens of Vale taxied their ways home. Horst nodded to Blake, and she took over explaining that one.

"If you think killing someone would be cruel, leaving them unconscious in downtown Vale is outright slaughter." Blake said evenly, eyes cutting around to watch the nearest alleyways while they waited for the light to change. Her instincts from living at the street level had not dulled in her comparatively cushy life at Beacon. "Not all of the nasty things in this city belong to the White Fang. A couple of kids knocked out on the side of the street or in an alley would be easy pickings for some of the worst criminals you'll ever meet." Weiss conceded that point, albeit not without offering another annoyed huff.

"Even if it was for the right reason, it limits what we can do without scrutiny. And everyone we've captured has been small fish. Where are the lieutenants? Where's the meat?" Horst chuckled at her question and choice of words, and responded as the five of them crossed the road.

"That's the thing about fish, Ms. Schnee. If you snap up the small fries, the big ones will come swimming to see what's up." The Titan said. "If we attract a little attention, they'll go to ground and cut their losses. If we attract a lot of attention, we'll eventually get some retaliation. And when the big fish come, we'll snatch them up and the real games will begin." Despite his casual explanation, Horst was taking this seriously. It had been some time since he had conducted such subterfuge on his fellow man – the dissolution of Yor's Mask, to be exact – but every organization had the same goal: survive. No matter what their ulterior motive was, only the most fanatical of cells would give their lives for the cause. The White Fang had big plans, and they had to retain their strength to see those plans. That meant they would send out enforcers to take out the pesky five that were harassing them, and that was the response Horst was counting on.

A few more streets and Yang diving through the wrong trash can finally revealed the dead drop, and the actual mission for the night. A tightly wrapped package marked by three claw marks in red ink revealed a mask, a cheap pistol with several magazines, and a destination: Cheaper Than Dust, a new Dust shop that had opened up recently in the poorer part of the kingdom. Allegedly, the shop was run by a Faunus that was unsympathetic to the White Fang's cause. The cowards were going to attack someone they considered a traitor, one of their own struggling to live in a world made difficult by their own actions. It was a sick, disgusting thing, but this particular shopkeeper was about to have luck on their side.

The shop itself reflected the poverty stricken area it had opened in. It had used to be a flower shop, but the new owner had converted the open display windows into a jeweler's style spread, showcasing the crystals and Dust rounds available inside. The two wide windows met in the middle to a simple glass door, with a small, neat sign that proclaimed, "We're Open!" From what they could see of the inside, a glass case lined each wall with more products, and the register sat at the back of the room, easily defensible and far away from any mischievous customers.

After locating the shop in question, the tedious process of waiting to spring the trap on the White Fang began. RWBY and Horst to turns on watch, everyone cycling through once an hour to keep them fresh. Horst took the first watch, and Blake would take his place. The rooftops of the nearby warehouses – the constant proximity of White Fang activity to the docks was another tip in that direction – made for easy camp. Ruby, Weiss, and Yang all clustered around Summer, who was providing heat without expelling too much Light. Amazing what exciting a few thousand atoms could do for the temperature. Horst and Blake sat at the edge of the rooftop, the lip of concrete providing a decent prop up as they laid prone on the cold surface. The contours of Horst's armor allowed him to prop up without discomfort, another feather in his cap. These Guardians really knew how to make their armor.

"When do you think this will go down?" The Titan whispered quietly, his helmet removed and turned off to prevent the light from giving away their position. Blake didn't know which reason he was banking on her support so much; her knowledge of the White Fang, their motives and methods, or the standard espionage and cat and mouse games that she was good at regardless of her affiliations. It could have been both, but it didn't change the fact that she was stalking her wayward comrades.

"Most Dust shops have to close earlier than usual, because storing combustible materials is careful work. They'll probably hit an hour past closing time, so the shopkeeper will already have everything put up and ready for transport. If they want to make an example out of him, it will be the peak time for criminal activity anyway, and the likelihood of a break in being reported would be at its lowest." Blake explained. "The police don't respond as frequently to crimes in Faunus neighborhoods, and if they do kill the owner, it would likely be with a blade." Horst nodded and said nothing at first, watching the street lights dim as the moon stretched into the sky. It was barely ten, and the shopkeeper – a black haired woman with a set of wolf ears proudly displayed on top of her head – flipped the sign on the door to closed and shut the blinds, limiting what the two guardian angels on the other side of the street could see. Despite their new obstacle, Blake and Horst continued to watch silently as few passersby crossed the street toward the residential area, the last honest souls departing the afterlife that the city became in its twilight hours. Anyone else that showed up would likely have ill intent.

As Horst and Blake eyeballed the store, Yang and Weiss were counting their blessings on Ruby becoming a Guardian. Yang's Semblance made it easy for her to stay warm – it was what allowed her to wear the same kind of clothes no matter the season – but flaring your aura when you wanted to go undetected was a tactical no no. Weiss was as accustomed to autumn's frosty nights as any Schnee, but sitting still and waiting proved capable of chilling even the Ice Queen. Ruby was unaffected by it all, her Light keeping her temperature level as she channeled it ever so slightly, leaving the rest for Summer to do as she pleased. As the two had grown closer, Ruby had learned that Summer acted as a conduit to her own power, shaping the redhead's raw energy into the fine constructs and having the ability to transmat materials and people. Even though Summer herself was sentient, she was pretty much the focus for Ruby's power; the spigot to the power source that was Ruby Rose.

"If I'd known that we'd wind up on top of a building for the night, I would have brought a packed lunch." Weiss said, wavering between complaining and joking as she pulled a half grin. Yang took it as a joke and chuckled at it, lightly punching the heiress in the arm.

"Don't worry, Ice Queen. We'll find a late night sushi place or something after this. I'm sure we're gonna work up an appetite." The blonde brawler looked over at her sister. "So, you and Summer cook up anything cool recently? I know you guys have been working together, but I'm curious to see what Guardian Ruby can do." Ruby and Summer looked at each other before the reaper shrugged.

"Not much more than what I could do before. I mean, I learned that transmat doesn't mean Summer just stores whatever she scans. It has to go somewhere." Ruby rubbed her head sheepishly. "I didn't figure this out until I found twelve stacks of cookies under Weiss' bed." Yang and Weiss both shared a laugh at their leader's embarrassed grin, and Summer looked between the three of them.

"It's not like I had a refrigerator in range. I had to put the somewhere." The Ghost said with an audible, exasperate sigh. "You're just lucky I had access to your closet for those outfits you had me scan." Ruby blushed at the complications her Ghost had been forced to deal with. When she had learned that Summer could transmat nearly anything just by scanning it for a few moments, she'd gone on a snatching spree of sorts. Summer had tried to explain that the goods didn't just disappear and reappear on a whim, but by the time she had gotten the point across, Ruby had abducted enough cookies to feed every homeless person in Vale.

"Horst told me that once I get a proper Guardian ship, transmatting things will be easier. The ship apparently uses its own transmat system and has a lot more storage than the closet." Ruby explained, and the other two nodded in understanding. "There are so many Guardian things I can't wait to do. But I think we'll have this fun before I go bugging him about the keys to a new ship. If ships even use keys, that is." She added the last part nervously, realizing that she had no idea how spaceships worked. Ruby was about to continue with another story from her budding Guardian career, but a sharp whisper from Horst cut her off.

"They're moving in early, you three. Get over here." As soon as he said this, all three girls exchanged looks before crawling over toward the edge of the roof next to Horst and Blake, keeping low to stay out of sight. Weiss and Ruby crawled over to Blake's right, while Yang wriggled up between Horst and the Faunus. Down below them and across the street, the shopkeeper had just started closing down and hadn't even locked the door yet when the movement began. From the left side of the shop, five Faunus in standard White Fang enforcer gear – black hood, white mask, and white vest with black pants and metal shin guards – emerged from around the corner, hugging the wall to prevent the unsuspecting woman inside from noticing them. As they stopped at the edge of the window, another group of ten emerged from the alley on the other side of the store. With this group, one man stood taller than the others. Instead of the usual half mask that most of the White Fang soldiers wore, this man's mask covered his entire head. The eye holes were mere slits, and the mask was painted to look like a shark baring its teeth. His white vest was covered with flexible polymer armor, and he had vambraces as well and shin guards. This guy was clearly more important than his cohorts. Horst's plan to drum up important players had finally come to fruition.

As they watched, the lieutenant motioned to his lackeys, and together they stepped out from cover and faced the window. In their hands, pistols and submachine guns barked lead into the storefront, shattering the silence of the night with their blasts as well as the protected windows. The portals cracked at the first few rounds, but the sustained barrage proved too much for the safety glass, and it cracked like a spiderweb and shattered completely. Now that they had revealed themselves, the White Fang entered the store quickly through the shattered windows, clearly intent on finishing whatever their initial volley had started. From Horst and RWBY's vantage point, they could no longer see the shopkeeper. Five White Fang enforcers remained outside while the lieutenant and the others entered through the ragged tears in the glass. They moved cautiously but quickly, hugging the sides of the room in case their target decided to return fire.

Seeing as how the White Fang were in no mood for games, Horst summoned Switch to his hand.

"Switch, the Dragon please." He asked. The Ghost's eye widened slightly at that.

"Oh, fireworks time huh? Alrighty then. One fiery personality coming right up." With that, the Ghost disappeared. Horst backed away from the edge of the roof to prevent the lookouts from seeing him, and nodded toward Yang with a smile on his face. The blonde raised her eyebrows in concern, as the Titan placed his helmet on his head and held his arms out as if he were waiting for something.

"Yang, ever wanting something a little more destructive than Ember Celica?" The Titan asked mysteriously. Yang shrugged from her position on the ground, and shook her head.

"Not really. Whatever the rounds can't take out, my fists can usually handle." The blonde said as she patted the bracelets. More breaking glass could be heard from below, and the cloud of Glimmer above Horst made all four girls drop their jaws in awe. The Choleric Dragon, a large and blocky rocket launcher, dropped into Horst's arms, the Titan grunting in effort as the heavy weapon landed in his grasp. An orange and dark blue motif decorated the launcher, its tube flowing into a wide, blocky housing decorated with a blue 'V' on an orange background. Horst hefted the weapon and pushed a panel on top of the launcher forward to expose a dark cylinder. Drawing a fist sized round from his weapon pouch, the Titan slotted the ammunition into place and held the weapon out to Yang.

"Allow me to change your mind. Just be sure to aim at the sidewalk, not the White Fang. We need survivors after all." Yang crawled backward and sat next to their mentor, hesitant to take the weapon of mass destruction from his hands. A glance at Blake revealed that the Faunus was not happy about the choice of armament, but she turned away and covered her ears by placing her head down and wrapping her arms around it. With the rest of them already preparing for the blast, Yang swallowed hard and grabbed the launcher. It was heavy, but not as difficult to hold up as she first expected. The blonde hefted it onto her shoulder and sighted down the barrel, a green holographic sight highlighting the White Fang below clearly. When the targeting circle passed over one of the unsuspecting Faunus, a rapid series of beeps began to emit from the Dragon. Yang leaned back slightly when she heard that, and Horst stepped forward at her hesitation.

"That's the tracking software. Aim low, into the street, otherwise the missile will lock on to their heat signature." The Titan instructed gently, pushed down at the front of the launcher slightly. As the circle drifted downward and away from her targets, the beeping stopped. "We don't want to kill them, but I don't want them getting up. Now fire when ready."

Yang reset herself and looked down the sights again, and Horst dove away from her onto the rooftop, covering his head to prevent any kind of back splash from hitting him. The heft of the weapon brought a cold thrill through her chest, and Yang couldn't fully suppress the manic grin that threatened to cross her face. With everyone else taking cover, she said the only thing that felt right as she trigger gave way to her eager finger.

"Fire in the hole."

A rush of air pushed the Dragon back slightly, and the rocket streaked toward the street as quickly as a one of Pyrrha's javelin throws. The impact was astounding, sending the five White Fang enforcers flying into the store a carving a deep hole into the street. The rush of sound, air pressure, and heat made Yang's hair thrash wildly behind her, and she let the launcher rest on her shoulder as she bathed in the destruction she had caused. No one had been killed, the rocket had gone too far into the street for that, but the impact had been impressive. A heavy hand relieved the blonde of the weapon, though she resisted for a split second.

"You can have it, later, but we have a job to do. Let's get in there." Horst said, iron in his tone as the Choleric Dragon vanished from his hands. Yang let the thing go and released a breath she didn't know she had been holding, and looked toward her team to see that they had already descended to ground level. She looked back up at Horst as she took an unsteady breath, and he patted her gently on the shoulder.

"You'll get used to that rush. Although, hopefully the next target won't be human. You can go all out on the monsters." He said reassuringly. Yang didn't know how to take his words at first, but one thing was certain: they still had a job to do. Together, brawler and Titan jumped down to street level, landing next to the smoldering crater that Yang had left in the street. Inside, the White Fang enforcers and their leader had been shielded from the blast, but it had definitely earned their attention. Ruby and Weiss stood to one side of the destroyed storefront, Blake on the other. The Faunus nodded to the two late comers as they ran up next to her, avoiding Yang's gaze as she turned into the wall. Cautiously, the Faunus peeked into the store, and quickly jerked backward as several rounds chased her out of the window. Ruby and Weiss winced at the quick response, and Yang placed a hand on Blake's arm. The bow wearing girl didn't not shirk away from her partner's touch, and she sent an imploring look to Horst. Their auras would block a few shots, but none of the girls – save maybe Ruby – could withstand a controlled burst from the White Fang's weapons. That meant that Horst was the one up to take the punishment.

"The wall upon which the Darkness breaks." Horst murmured to himself. Blake's bow twitched at that, but she didn't have time to ask him what he meant: the Titan was already in motion. He drew his pistol from his hip and ran around the corner, sliding across the broken display case and setting foot straight into the shop at a dead run. The opening salvo from the White Fang had decimated the shop's wooden and glass display cases, sending crystals and Dust containers everywhere. The combustible materials were protected even on display, but the rocket blast had clearly made the destruction irreversible. Several unconscious enforcers laid on the ground, but their comrades were standing, facing Horst's direction with their guns at the ready. Only the lieutenant did not have one, favoring instead a wicked looking trench knife with a knuckle guard. As he rounded the corner and cleared the window, the White Fang opened fire.

There is an art to hitting a moving target, much more different than in the movies when the good guy mows down sprinting foes as if her were ordering a coffee. Bullet trajectory, trigger squeeze, recoil; a million and one factors affect the chances of actually hitting your target. And if that target is a sprinting, six foot tall wall of muscle protected by Light barriers and heavy armor, a pistol wasn't going to do much even if it hit. Horst's armor streaked blue as he picked up speed in two strides, building up his Arc energy for a devastating blow as two or three rounds flattened themselves against his chest plate. Horst shrugged off the impacts and kept charging, tucking his shoulder at the last minute and ready to ruin someone's day. The first guy he reached had decided to stand away from cover in the middle of a shattered display, making him easy pickings for the pain train that was Titan Horst. The armored warrior slammed into his victim with all the force of a charging bull, sending the limp body of his victim careening toward the back of the store. Now in the middle of the fray – in an arrangement where the White Fang could not fire without risking their own men – Horst went to work. The nearest man darted from his protected position near the wall and drew a katana, closing in on the Titan. Horst stepped back and dodged the horizontal swipe that came at him, then stepped in before the return draw could be completed. The one handed slash was stopped by Horst's open palm on the enforcer's forearm, and the Titan wrapped his large hand around the Faunus' arm before driving the barrel of his sidearm into the man's masked face in an impromptu punch. Three more strikes ushered forth in quick succession as the store was filled with the meaty sounds of metal inflicted upon flesh, before the White Fang soldier dropped to the ground with a bloody face and not a shred of consciousness whatsoever. Another attempted to come in from behind Horst, but he was tackled by Yang running in at full tilt. The other three remaining foot soldiers found themselves similarly engaged by the rest of RWBY. Weiss traded a series of blows with Myrtenaster as her opponent tried in vain to pierce the fencer's iron guard. Ruby flashed around her opponent as he swung hard, fruitlessly cleaving empty air as she used her superior speed to stay out of his reach. Blake threw Gambol Shroud behind her foe and pulled, clothes lining the poor sap just seconds before he was going to gut her with his blade.

As RWBY cleaned up, Horst faced off with the White Fang lieutenant. The man cocked his head slightly and regarded his fallen comrades from beneath his emotionless mask. Horst stood with his feet shoulder width apart, waiting for the man to make a move. As bad guys were sometimes wont to do, the lieutenant opted to speak first, even as his subordinates fell to the clearly superior Huntresses.

"Our leader warned us that there was a team searching for us. I should have known it be the same ones that crashed our recruitment drive a few weeks back." The man said darkly, and suddenly Horst remembered where he recognized the man from. This was the same White Fang lieutenant that had been present at the rally, the one that had introduced Roman to the rest of the organization. The fact that he recognized them just proved how much of an annoyance Ruby and the others were proving to be.

"Funny you mention your leader. You see, I just have a few questions I need to-" Whatever else Horst was going to say was lost as a cloud of blood misted his helmet, followed by a loud bang. The four Huntresses behind him gasped in shock as a rasping gurgle pervaded the room, and the White Fang lieutenant grasped at the immense hole in his mask, where tooth, blood, and meat leaked out from a gaping wound. In shock, the man slumped to the ground in a twitching stupor, rapidly bleeding to death as he slumped to the floor. Horst wiped the blood from his visor and focused on the newcomer, surprising enough to be shopkeeper.

The woman had long black hair that cascaded down to mid back, straight and maintained unlike Yang's lovable avalanche of hair. A pair of triangle shaped ears, the ears of a wolf, barely poked out from her thick hair, the outside covered in black fur while the insides were a contrasting white. Her bangs hung down across her face , but a pair of cold brown eyes pierced the veil of hair that threatened to obstruct her view. She was clad in a simple buttoned down white shirt, her collar loosened and whatever bow or tie she had worn previously discarded to allow for unrestricted breathing. A pair of black slacks covered her legs, ironed with seams that trailed down the front, and a pair of expensive leather shoes covered her feet. A medium sized handgun, much more powerful and expensive than the ones the White Fang wielded, was clutched in her right hand, the barrel trailing with smoke from her execution of the lieutenant. Before Horst could do anything to stop her, the woman swept her gaze and her gun across the floor of the shop, painting the wooden splinters and smoke smeared planks with the blood of the five White Fang enforcers that RWBY and Horst had taken down. Yang stepped in front of Blake and turned the Faunus away from the sight as the shots rang out, but Blake's golden eyes watched through Yang's arms as each round its mark with perfect precision. Weiss and Ruby stood as still as stone, their eyes wide and breath caught in their throats at the cold and methodical execution of the men they had gone through some lengths to take down without lethal force.

"Dammit woman, we needed them!" Horst shouted, and stepped closer with his arms wide to discourage the woman from firing at his students. The woman tracked him with her pistol, but her finger remained outside of the trigger well. Her cold, merciless eyes bored into Horst's helmeted face, and he took another step forward to put his frame between the frozen team RWBY and the gun. "Who the hell are you, anyway?"

"Cisneros. Her name is Rosarita Cisneros." Blake managed to choke the words out past her revulsion, and Horst grimaced at her tone. This person was clearly someone Blake recognized from her time in the White Fang. If her handiwork was to be judged, it was clear the individual used to be an assassin or heavy enforcer of some kind, both by her cold and soulless stare as well as the methodical way she had dispatched their foes. Upon hearing her own name, the woman focused on Blake's wavering yellow gaze, and her brow furrowed.

"Hello, Blake."

* * *

Magnus slammed a fist into the unyielding stone wall in anger. Behind him, Cipher-10 brushed the singed trails of threat from his coat in irritation, though the calmer Warlock knew that there was nothing constructive to come from anger. Both Magnus and Cipher were covered in scrapes, burns, and scorch marks from where Osiris' mastery of Arc Light had nearly removed them from the plane of existence. Whether the old Warlock had been counting on their skill to escape certain death or if he was actually trying to kill them was anyone's guess. Osiris, the old fox, had outsmarted them even when he had been caught by surprise. As the two Guardians stood on the cusp of a Citadel, a massive floating amalgamation of stone and machine on Mercury that floated miles above the pulverized stone surface of the planet, they could only stare as the portal Osiris had escaped through collapsed on itself. Magnus slammed his fist into the wall again, and Cipher could not help but sigh.

"Save your strength, Titan. Lord Saladin did not teach you to waste effort on a wall, I am sure." His dry tone earned what was likely a simmering expression of distaste from the Sunbreaker, but helmets made for very poor mediums of expression. The wide balcony they had chased Osiris to – or perhaps, that he had led them to – had several containers scattered around, likely containing materials for research as the old Warlock chased whatever impossible conundrum had forced him away from their cause so many years ago. Cipher knelt next to one particular box as Magnus continued to pace in anger.

"That old bastard knew we were coming. He had to have known." Magnus growled from beneath his helm, and kicked a stray piece of rubble off of the balcony, sending the chunk of rock plummeting to the planet's surface below. Cipher ignored the outburst and opened the crate slowly, the lights inside casting a blue hue upon his armored coat.

"Oh, I have no doubt that he knew we were coming." Cipher said with an out of place tone of triumph in his voice. "Stop harassing the environment and come look at this." The Exo reached into the chest and began drawing out something hidden by the open lid, prompting Magnus to walk over to the Warlock out of curiosity as well as indignation.

"What could possibly be so important that we aren't chasing him right...oh." The Sunbreaker broke his tirade off before he could start as his eyes settled on the components they had been sent to find: several eyes of Gate Lords, immense Vex that safeguarded the systems of the Vex network. The eye of a Gate Lord could allow a Guardian to break into time streams and ancient transmat networks kept hidden and locked away by the Vex for centuries. Several of the things could be harnessed to maintain a stable connection from two points, be it across time, space, or whatever dimensional medium one preferred. After the assault on the Black Garden, Vex Gate Lords had disappeared entirely, their assigned gates shutting down entirely as opposed to leaving them vulnerable for harvest. This meant that Osiris had either taken these particular eyes long ago, or the old codger had more sway over the Vex core networks than anyone had previously thought. In any case, they had found what they were looking for.

"Contact Cayde and Ikora. They'll need to know we were successful." Cipher said idly as he carefully closed the chest, not wanting to damage the precious components inside. The scrape of metal on stone indicated that Magnus had turned on his heel, and Cipher could only roll his eyes as the Sunbreaker's ire returned renewed.

"No! The mission is not over until we secure the Warlock. There could be so many other things he could tell us! Other artifacts he's kept, maybe even-" Cipher's raised hand cut off the raging Titan, though he could see that Magnus' anger was building.

"We were instructed to find the materials necessary for the Gateway system to be activated. Osiris was to be our way of finding that. If the old man would rather just give us what we need instead of sending us on a wild goose chase, that is fine by me." The Exo Warlock said evenly, and Magnus' posture softened microscopically as the Titan considered his words. "You can stay here and enjoy Mercury all you like, but I'm heading back to the Tower. There's still work to be done." With that, Cipher hefted the chest and nodded, before disappearing into a shower of Glimmer as he returned to his ship. Magnus stared hard at where his partner had stood, torn between accepting the mission as done and looking for a way to renew the chase, perhaps even open the portal or find another way around it. Seconds ticked by as the Titan wrestled with the idea, before finally he swore and called up his Ghost. As his atoms were collected and tossed upward towards his ship, Magnus made a silent vow to himself: he _would_ hunt down that old Warlock one day. That much was certain.

* * *

 **A/N:** I'm in need of a few gifted fellows with Destiny accounts and a wacky sleep schedule to join me in the King's Fall raid. Because I get off of work at midnight and have never gone on the thing, I'll need an eyewitness play through if I'm going to do the finale up the way I want to. Gamertag is ERICMC2 on the Xbox, send me a message if anyone is interested.


	14. Chapter 14

**Chapter 14**

* * *

Rosarita stared Blake down with an intensity that would have worried Horst had they not just saved her life. Or more likely, he reasoned as he scanned the corpses in front of the armed woman, aided in her defense. The shopkeeper was clearly no slouch when it came to taking lives. That explained one reason for Blake's defensive body language and narrowed eyes. The other was likely the fact that this woman clearly knew Blake, and the way she addressed Blake familiarly was another worrisome factor. Blake's hand never strayed far from Gambol Shroud, though she did push Yang away from her slightly, separating herself from the blonde's protective embrace. Yang slowly turned to face Rosarita as well, and together the five faced down the lonesome ex-assassin.

"It's been a while Rosarita. Last time I saw you, you were detonating Dust, not selling it." Blake said lowly, her legs bent slightly and ready to throw herself to the side should the conversation turn nasty. Ruby and Weiss inched closer to Horst, trying to put his large form between themselves and the gun in Rosarita's hand. The wolf Faunus did nothing to stop their fidgeting, but instead tossed a razor sharp smirk of her own towards Blake.

"Says the girl who just shot my street with a rocket launcher. Powerful stuff, by the way." The woman scanned the students before her, her gaze lingering on Ruby for a moment before returning to Blake. The reaper shivered as the soulless gaze passed over her, sending a cold nugget of fear deep into her chest. There was nothing standing between this woman and their deaths except her own goals, it seemed. Blake, however, did not seem as affected as her teammates. She rapped a knuckle on Yang's right glove, the light clink of bone on Ember Celica piercing the silence that had settled over the street in the aftermath.

"Actually, that was Yang here. Managed to take out five White Fang enforcers without killing a single one. Not something you seem to be troubled with, but we need information." Blake stared right back at Rosarita. "We need to take Adam down." For once, the cold calculating gaze Rosarita had worn the entire night fractured for a moment, genuine surprise crossing her features before she managed to school her expression once more.

"I see. When did you find out?" Rosarita's cold tone became more subdued, as if she had kept a secret she shouldn't have. RWBY and Horst exchanged looks, before Blake lowered her hand from her blade. Blake's confusion and curiosity seemed to win out, and Rosarita holstered her pistol behind her back as well.

"That Adam was the new leader? I've known since before I left the White Fang. I know you got out before I did, but I assumed it was common knowledge after Leonberger disappeared." Rosarita winced in what Horst assumed was a rare display of sympathy, and she turned away to avoid Blake's gaze.

"That's not what I meant. Clearly, you still don't know. But you have done me a favor, so I will do you one in return: you say you want to topple Adam from the leadership? There's a transport company nearby that just ran afoul of our dear red headed friend. Not only will they know the location of the base, they will also be party to the secret Adam should have sent to the grave." Rosarita turned away and walked back behind the tattered remains of her counter, feet crunching in the dirty mess of dirt, glass, and wood. She bent down and moved a few things around behind the display, concealing all but her canine ears from view of the team. Ruby, Weiss, and Horst put their weapons away, glad that things had not turned violent with this clearly very dangerous woman, but still confused as to what was going on. Rosarita had clearly known Blake from her White Fang days, but what was this secret she mentioned?

"Head down to section four of the docks, in the private sector. Look for the Lagoon Company, they're an honest bunch of people capable of getting things done whether it's legal or not." Rosarita instructed, and the rasp of metal on metal hinted that the woman was collecting armor or weaponry. Not being able to see Rosarita while she armed herself made Horst uneasy, but he did not want to jeopardize their ceasefire by creeping up on the woman.

"What's this secret you're not telling me?" Blake asked hotly, not even sure if she wanted to hear what it was. From Rosarita's behavior, it was clearly something very bad. But what else could there possibly be? They already knew that the White Fang was acting as muscle for the secret group Roman and the strange woman in the red dress belonged to. What could be so shocking that a cold woman like Rosarita couldn't stand to reveal it? The implications made Blake's stomach sink, but she retained her fierce demand even as Rosarita stood up.

"It's not my place to say. Lagoon Company had one of their own grievously injured finding out this information. If you are after Adam, they will likely not only reveal the location of the base and Adam's secret, but they may even take you there as a method of indirect revenge." Rosarita slung two heavy rifle bags over her shoulders, then hefted a large trunk full of what was likely Dust and ammunition. "It is also for the best that I not be present when you find out, because I have known the whole time. It's part of the reason why I left the White Fang." With little more than that, Rosarita gathered her accumulated weaponry and packs and stepped toward the door, avoiding the corpses and debris in her way almost subconsciously, as if she had done it many times before. And maybe she had. Just as she stepped past Horst, Rosarita stopped next to Blake and looked down at her with those cold, merciless eyes. Blake returned the look with a mixture of confusion and empathy, because she knew the road ahead of Rosarita better than anyone else in the room.

"Blake, when you hear what Lagoon has to say...don't hate him. That kind of hatred will only burn you from the inside out." Instead of waiting for a reply from the shocked girl and her team, the wolf Faunus walked right past them with the poise of a woman on a night on the town, not someone who had just killed six men. Horst and Ruby walked toward the door to follow her out, while Weiss just watched. Blake didn't turn around, too focused on the strange advice and Yang too occupied on comforting her partner. The blonde looped an arm around Blake' shoulders and turned her gently toward the door.

"Well, let's get moving. The police will be here soon, and I don't think we need Ozpin breaking us out of jail." Horst said, and stepped out the door. "Come on girls. Yang, you're the most familiar with downtown. Take us to Lagoon." Weiss joined Yang at Blake's side, and together the two led their stricken teammate out the door.

Once they reached the street, the cool air and faint sound of sirens in the distance snapped Blake out of her trance. Rosarita's presence brought back memories of the struggle, the fight, the uprising she had been deluded into supporting for years, and Blake was ready to hear the reason why. Why a stone cold killer had suddenly departed everything she had murdered to defend. Why Blake would hate the man that she had been partners with since they'd were kids? Sure, he led the White Fang into the terrible mutated beast that it was, but that was no reason to hate him. So driven by his goals, he had been twisted by the cruel world they lived in. If anything, Adam deserved her pity. But for some reason, the scariest killer in Vale thought that whatever these delivery people had discovered was going to set her off. And Blake intended to find out why.

After slipping further into the docks, it was not difficult to find the Lagoon Company personal dock. It was a sheet metal construction two stories high, with a relatively normal green metal door at the top of a flight of metal steps. A light burned brightly next to the door, with moths flocking to its golden touch. Above the door, two dirty windows peeked outward toward the city, and between them the words _Lagoon Company_ were painted in white block letters. Horst removed his helmet before he climbed the steps, willing to try the open face diplomacy if it meant finding out about Adam, and maybe even Leonberger. Behind him, Ruby and the others hid behind several concrete barriers, just in case things went sour. If these people were recommended by someone like Rosarita, it was likely they had killed a person or two.

( **Warning:** The crew of the Black Lagoon have led harmful, traumatic lives plagued by death and betrayal at every turn. Their language will reflect that.)

Horst knocked on the door firmly, rapping his armored knuckles on the door three times in rapid succession. The team huddled behind the two dividers, Bumblebee on one side and White Rose on the other. Horst stood at the door for a moment, listening intently for any reaction on the other side. After a few seconds, Horst could barely pick up the sound of footsteps behind the metal door. Discreetly, he wished that he had ditched the armor, but White Fang presence in the area made that kind of move a bad idea. All he could do was hope that the metal giant from Mars didn't look too threatening. When the door opened, a blonde man with glasses and a ponytail stood in the doorway. A day and a half of scruffy beard clung to his chin, and despite the cool night sweat dotted his forehead. The man wore khaki pants and an orange vacation shirt (there's no such thing as Hawaii on Remnant, so I can't say Hawaiian shirt) with brown sandals. When he set eyes on Horst's scarred face and gleaming armor, the blonde man gritted his teeth and stepped back slightly.

"Is there something I can help you with?" His clipped tone and strained expression indicated that the man clearly didn't believe that there was, but Horst held up his hands in a disarming manner. There was no point in starting off on the wrong foot with the people that might help them out.

"I'm sorry to bother you this late at night, but there was a woman that told us you could help." Horst said slowly, and kept his hands visible to show the man he meant no harm. "She said that you guys had just been betrayed by the White Fang, and we came looking to take advantage of that." Horst chose those words purposefully; a little honesty on the front end might get them somewhere. When the blonde man heard that, he frowned even more and looked beyond Horst to see RWBY hiding behind the concrete partitions. Once they saw that they were spotted, the girls stood up slightly from cover and waved, though Weiss looked as if she thought the whole hiding thing was absurd. The various bullet holes on the dock's side of the concrete partitions said otherwise, but Ruby had made the call to get behind cover. Best teammate ever, and all that jazz.

"I appreciate your candor. However, we're in a bit of a jam right now. If you are after the White Fang, we don't need to be anywhere near you. We've shed enough blood because of those racist bastards." The man's grip on the door tightened, but he seemed to think better of slamming the door in Horst's face. Not that the Titan would think less of him for it, but they were pressed for time.

"Just out of curiosity, who is this lady you mentioned?" The blonde man asked, and Horst's friendly aura dimmed to one of grim admittance. His shoulders lowered marginally, and his easy smile turned into a thin line of steel.

"Rosarita Cisneros. We helped her fight off a squad of White Fang enforcers roughly twenty minutes ago." Horst muttered. As soon as the man heard the wolf Faunus' name, his eyes grew to be as wide as saucers, and his breath caught in his throat. Horst remained standing where he was, not moving closer or further away to give the poor man time to process what he had said. Behind him, team RWBY slunk out from behind their cover, as it seemed their inadvertent contact had done her job.

"Come inside, quickly." The blonde man said, a high note in his voice as it cracked from his sudden onset of anxiety. Horst turned toward the girls and nodded his head towards the door, and the five of them filed in quickly before the blonde man shut the door quickly. An uncomfortable amount of locks clicked, slid, and fastened shut before the blonde man turned around again to face them. He wiped the sweat from his brow with the back of his hand, then shakily offered the other to Horst.

"My name's Benny. If Roberta thought you were worth referring to us, I'll at least let you talk to Dutch. Can't go turning the Bloodhound down like that; it'd be bad for my health." Horst grasped Benny's hand and shook it once, releasing it and allowing the blonde man to lead the way upstairs. A closed metal staircase led upstairs to what looked like an open den, and when Horst cleared the wall, he got a good look at the room. Several mismatched leather chairs and a couch sat around a weathered glass and wooden coffee table, which was covered in loaded ash trays and bloodied rags. On the wall was a bulletin board covered in photos, invoices, and scattered tabloid newspapers. Two separate hallways led elsewhere into the building, but it was clear all of Lagoon Company was in the room. The first, and most noticeable, was a bald, black man nearly Horst's size. The man wore circular sunglasses on silver frames, and a white tank top covered by a sleeveless green flak jacket. His muscular arms were crossed in front of him as he angrily burned through a cigarette, clearly one of many that had dangled above his black, neatly trimmed beard. A pair of black cargo pants and old style combat boots rounded out his outfit, and his posture hinted that he was the man in charge.

The second visible person in the room seemed much more unhinged. A woman with a black tank top that stopped above her belly and dark red, almost purple hair sat next to the couch, not even looking up as the six of them climbed the stairs. Her left arm sported a tribal tattoo that danced from her elbow up her shoulder and almost across her neck, and a pair of leather shoulder holsters sat at her armpits. Her long, slender legs were exposed by what Horst could only call a _very_ short pair of cut off jeans, and an unlaced pair of combat boots similar to the larger man's covered her feet. The woman's hair was tied in a ponytail, and both her bangs and her position shielded her eyes from view as she sat leaning over the couch, where it was clear a third person was bedridden by the bloodied rags clutched in her fingerless gloves and the wrinkled sheet that covered the man's form.

Horst and RWBY climbed the stairs behind Benny quickly, fanning out along the bare wall so that the occupants of the room didn't get nervous about unseen guests. Upon hearing their many footsteps, the large black man turned around slowly.

"Benny, who did you bring in this time?" The man asked, his deep voice smooth and unfazed even as his crew member lay bleeding mere feet away from him. His demeanor and the way his brow furrowed almost instinctively told Horst that this man was probably a seasoned veteran, likely the Faunus War by his age. The way he remained calm even as the other two ambulatory members of his crew were deeply troubled spoke of his steel.

"Roberta's shop was attacked tonight. These guys helped her fight off the White Fang and she sent them here for information." Benny managed to keep his voice level, but it was a near thing Horst could tell. Rosarita had clearly used several names, since Benny recognized her real name yet used the other one, 'Roberta', in casual speech. Whatever the reason that Benny had been nervous mentioning the woman, the black man felt the same judging by the way his shoulders tightened up.

"That crazy bitch is still fighting them, even after we delivered that shipment. She hasn't changed much." The man rubbed the back of his head and heaved a sigh, his eyes still invisible behind the glasses he wore. "I can only think of one thing she sent you here for, if all she said was 'information'." Horst stepped forward to the man, holding a hand out in offering. The man took it, impressing Horst with the strength in his grip. They shook once, before Horst's hand returned to his side and the black man crossed his arms again.

"I'm Horst, and these are my students. Ms. Cisneros said that one of yours was injured attaining some pivotal piece of intelligence." Horst's eyes wandered to the man mostly hidden by sheets and the woman's hunched form. "I'm guessing that's him." A weak twitch of the toes beneath the sheet indicated that the injured man heard, but the gunslinging woman caring for him wordlessly grabbed his hand in reassurance. There was tension in her strained, hunched form that made Horst uneasy; the woman seemed as if she were a wild animal, a cornered dog crouching over its pack member waiting for a invitation to bite. The black man followed Horst's gaze with his own, and nodded once.

"Most people just call me Dutch, and yeah. That's him. That guy Adam Taurus is a cold bastard, for sure." Dutch's tone clearly indicated that he held no respect for the leader of the White Fang. "We were doing business with the White Fang, more through our associate Roman Torchwick than anything. Rock found something Taurus didn't want him to see, and the Faunus bastard ran him through." Behind Horst, Blake stiffened when she heard that, appalled as another of many sins heaped itself onto Adam's soul. What had been so important that Adam had tried to kill someone just to keep it a secret? Yang noticed her partner's reaction, and the blonde moved slightly closer as a sign of support. If Blake noticed, she didn't react.

"Revy and Rock know more about it than anything. But after that red haired asshole stuck it to Rock, it was everything we could do to shoot our way out of their hideout." Benny supplied, throwing in his two cents as he walked around Ruby's group and found a seat in the chair next to the couch. If the woman, Revy, noticed his presence, there was no reaction to it. She just kept staring silently downward at her injured teammate.

"Yeah, and as you can see, Revy isn't in a talking mood, and the sword nicked Rock's lung. He can talk, but it takes a lot out of him." Dutch said with another heavy sigh. "I'm not entirely clear on the details, but apparently Rock found out one hell of a dirty little secret that the White Fang would rather leave buried. Or maybe, Taurus would rather leave unknown from the rest of the White Fang." The topic clearly caused Dutch some discomfort, because the leader of Lagoon pulled a crumpled pack of cigarettes from a pocket on his flak jacket and placed one in his mouth. A flip lighter came from another pocket, and soon the room began to smell of burning tobacco. Weiss' nose wrinkled at the odor, but she didn't say anything. Blake, however, was more than fed up with all the running around these people were doing.

"What did he find out? What was it that Adam was trying to hide?" Blake's questions were insistent, not to the point of rudeness but very clear that she was desperate to know exactly what her old partner had tried to keep hidden from the world. Dutch and Benny both looked away from the bow wearing Huntress, but her questions caused Revy to stir.

"What's your name, little girl?" Her voice was raspy and sinister, likely a result of a life around cigarettes, gun smoke, and more than enough liquor for one woman. Blake's eyes switched to the sitting woman's form instantly, and she turned to face the gunslinger.

"Blake. Blake Belladonna." The Faunus student supplied. "Rosarita said that I needed to know what you found out. She said that it was important, and why she left the White Fang. Please," Blake pleaded, "I need to know." Her response seemed to invoke some dark humor in Revy, as the woman started to slowly chuckle mirthlessly from her position near her injured comrade, Dutch and Benny stiffened. It was not the kind of laughter the girls in the room were accustomed to. This was the defiant and helpless cry of someone that the world had shamefully torn apart from a young age, and she was howling insurrection back at it as the darkness failed to snuff her out. And yet, she seemed so vulnerable, turning almost uncomfortably to prevent from leaving her spot at her partner's side.

"Here's the little kitty cat scratching at the door, wanting mamma Revy to give her what she wants. I'm not telling you shit." Revy turned back to watching over Rock. "You think you can drop some crazy bitch's name and get all the information you want. Respect is like money: you gotta earn it, and right now you ain't worth my fucking time." Her response clearly incited Yang, who stepped forward toward the stationary gunslinger.

"Hey, you can't just-" Yang was stopped by Blake's arm in front of her, her limiting limb stopping Yang from stepping forward and striking the woman that sat on the coffee table. The blonde looked over at her teammate in confusion, but Blake's eyes were focused on Revy's hand. The gunslinger had placed it on her holster already, daring Yang to step forward any further. Yang had never even seen her hand move.

"Careful there, titan tits. You won't be too useful if I give you a second asshole." It was less of a threat and more the statement of fact, and the guns that sat on each side of the woman's chest were nothing to joke about. Yang was clearly confident that she could handle the woman sitting on the table, but Blake wasn't willing to risk a fight with the people that could help them. Thankfully, another voice, weak and raspy from injury and disuse, spoke up from the couch. Blake managed to pick it up, but it seemed the only other person in the room to acknowledge it was Revy.

"You said your name...was Belladonna?" Rock's voice came from behind the gunslinger hunched form, and she turned around to look at him. The upstarts brats were forgotten, no longer a part of the world as her partner stirred in pain. She stood slightly from her seat on the coffee table and patted his shoulder insistently.

"Dammit Rock, you idiot! You should be resting, not stirring up more trouble." She chastised him harshly, or so it seemed to the people in the room not a part of Lagoon. Only Dutch and Rock had the vantage point to see the stricken expression on Revy's face, the look of fearful anxiety as she tended to his wounds with feverish tenacity. As she moved slightly, Ruby could finally see the man Revy had been doting on ever since they had come in: a skinny, pale man with a smooth complexion and short brown hair, though his bangs were long enough to cover his eyes. His shirt had been removed, exposing a thin physique with a blotched, bloody bandage on the right side of his chest. His skin was slick with sweat, and a few red-brown patches of color on the white sheets at chest level indicated that he had bled from that wound for some time, to be relentlessly tended by the woman hovering above him. If Revy's reaction was anything to go on, his words were the only ones in the world that mattered.

"If her name...is Belladonna..." Rock's breathing was labored, and both his voice and his brow strained from the pain of speaking. "She needs to know. Tell her...please Revy." Rock coughed weakly after that, a dribble of blood trailing down from his mouth to his chin. The gunslinger stopped to blood trail before it reached his shoulder, blocking its path and coloring her finger crimson with his blood. After wiping it up gently with a cloth, Revy turned and stood up to face Horst, Blake, and the others. Rock's words seemed to chase the irritable bitch out of her; instead, only the dull eyed expression of a murderer far past redemption remained. She crossed the room wordlessly, stepping past Yang and Horst until she stood eye to eye with Blake. Revy was a short woman, by all accounts, but she was still tall enough to lock her dead brown eyes with Blake's own yellow orbs.

"The only reason I haven't kicked you all out of this fucking building is because Rock wants there to be some use of the precious little secret he found out. So listen up, goth girl, because I'm not going to repeat myself." Revy pulled a cigarette from her front pocket, the single stick magically whole from being confined in a pair of shorts such as hers. The gunslinger stuck the unlit cigarette in her mouth and kept it there, never breaking eye contact with Blake as she did so.

"While we were offloading our cargo – a couple of big ass mech suits these assholes stole from Atlas some time ago – Rock got suspicious about how Taurus had climbed to the top of the food chain with the White Fang. I told him that it wasn't our fucking business, but he insisted. So he starts looking around the areas they let us roam around in, and manages to find a beat up journal that was almost burned up." A match from her other pocket was struck on one of the grips of Revy's pistols, and she lit the cigarette in her mouth with a few puffs before shaking the match out. The gunslinger took a long drag on her tobacco before blowing the smoke directly into Blake's face, to see if she would flinch. The Faunus girl winced slightly, but other than that was unfazed.

"The journal apparently belonged to none other than Roger fuckin' Leonberger himself. Apparently, a certain someone had been keeping it for blackmail or some other such bullshit, and decided to get rid of it once it wasn't needed any more. And you know what Rock found out in that little devil diary? The true events of what happened at the last White Fang rally before that red headed cocksucker Taurus stepped in. The day your parents were killed." If Revy took joy in Blake's widened eyes, she only showed it in a baring of teeth. "Didn't you think it was convenient that the shit stain was there to pick up the pieces after they died? How the two biggest supporters of Leonberger, your parents, were both killed in a bombing by unknown attackers? You think a bunch of racist humans had more to gain by blowing your mommy and daddy to the moon than the sick son of a bitch that is leading them now?"

Blake stepped back from Revy, but the gunslinger followed relentlessly. She wouldn't let the little brat deny it. That would go against the blood Rock had spilled, the bullets she had thrown into White Fang bodies, and that was un-fucking-acceptable. Step for step, every retreating foot Blake pulled back, Revy put forward. Ruby and Weiss went to support their teammate, maybe even separate the two from their stare down, but a curt look from Horst killed their attempts before they ever happened. Yang could only watch, paralyzed, as Blake received the revelation of her life.

"Leonberger had lost the last of his support, and everything he had done to convince the White Fang to be the olive branch, white dove peace pussies went up in the blast. With the Belladonnas gone, Taurus had martyrs for his cause, and Leonberger had no moves left. He stepped down, and the fuck face with the sword took over." Revy took another long drag on the cigarette, its white length converting to ash quickly as the burning end raced towards her lips. "Rock, being the crazy dumbass that his is, went straight to Taurus about it. Asked him how he could stand to delude the White Fang into fighting a war he had created, and for what purpose. As soon as he knew Rock had found the journal, that sword wielding faggot ran his blade right through Rock. After that, I put a few rounds in his arm and we ran. Dutch blew a hole in their little hideout, and we drove out of there like bats out of hell. That's your fucking intel."

Revy dropped the spent cigarette and ground it to ash with her heel, before walking away from Blake to return to Rock's side. A few gentle pats and a grip on his wrist reassured her that he was still alive, and Revy relaxed marginally. Blake, however, was unaware of the world around her, her eyes clouded and unfocused as she struggled to process the things Revy had said. Adam had been behind her parents' deaths? The man that had guided her, trained her, LOVED her in their fight for equality? Where was the justice in that, the righteousness that he had spoken of for so long?! But even as denial raced through Blake's mind, the little pieces began to fall into place: Adam's arguments with Leonberger that ran deep into the night; the constant dissent that Adam showed toward their leader, even when they were making progress; the snide remarks Adam had made whenever they were treating wounds after a demonstration gone bad.

 _"How can you forgive the ones that killed your parents, Blake? Don't they deserve justice?"_ It had been one of the last things he had said to her before their final mission, when she had departed after seeing his ruthless side. He had been playing her from the very beginning, trying to shape her into another human hating automaton that followed his every order in the name of Faunus supremacy and human genocide. Blake wrestled with the brewing emotions that threatened to overflow within her: the renewed pain of her parents' death, the shock of knowing who was responsible, the rage and betrayal directed at Adam. All of it tore her apart, and she did the only thing she knew to do: she ran.

Blake was down the stairs and out the door before anyone else could do anything about it, but Horst saw it coming. He turned to Yang quickly, knowing who it was that Blake trusted on the team more than anything.

"Yang, go after her! You're the only one she'll listen to right now." He barked. Yang nodded resolutely, and sent one last scathing glare toward Revy's back before dashing down the stairs as well. When she stepped out the open door, Yang looked left and right for any sign of her partner, and only the trailing ribbon behind a shipping crate told her where Blake had gone. The ribbon disappeared as the Faunus continued to run, and Yang sprinted after it as fast as she could.

"Blake, wait!" She cried, pumping her legs as fast as she could to catch up. The ribbon that trailed from Gambol Shroud grew closer steadily as Blake ran through a maze of shipping containers, leading Yang deeper into the shipyard as she cried. As Yang continued to gain on her partner, taking a turn particularly sharp and almost missing the ribbon, it was almost easier for her to follow the tear drops that stained the gray concrete black. It was a forlorn thought that hovered in Yang's mind as she followed the miniature pools of water to an open container, where barely contained sobs could be heard. The small pools of darkness led her to the pitch black metal container that Blake had run to, hiding behind wooden crates of who knows what as she clutched her knees. Yang stepped forward cautiously, unsure of what to do as she approached her stricken teammate. Blake had always been so sure of herself, so determined to right the wrongs of the world in a quest for destiny and truth. Yet as Yang knelt down next to her, all Blake appeared to be was a frightened child.

"I'm here Blake." Yang said softly. She held off for a moment, waiting for Blake's reaction, but the Faunus showed no change in behavior. She just continued to sob her heart out. And so, Yang leaned forward and wrapped her arms around her partner, whispering that everything would be okay over and over. And all Blake could do was cry.

While Yang dealt with the stricken Blake, Ruby and the others remained in the Lagoon Company dock. Dutch and Benny watched the two girls run out with mixed expressions of sadness and resignation. They had no right to chastise Revy for her harsh words. Even though the gunslinger had no idea about the relationship between Blake and Adam, she deserved her piece for what had happened to Rock. They all did, but only Revy had been callous enough to deliver that biting speech. Horst stood with his eyes closed, processing the new information as he clenched and unclenched his fists. They had definitely found out useful information, but without any sort of proof there was little they could do with it.

"I don't suppose you held onto this journal, by chance?" Horst tried after a few moments of silence. Benny shook his head, and Dutch adjusted his glasses with a frown.

"Unfortunately not. Our plans are to leave Vale permanently and head back to home port. A burned up old book didn't seem important when we were busting out of their hideout, guns blazing. It got lost after Taurus stabbed Rock – it's probably at the bottom of the ocean by now." Dutch said coarsely, taking another drag on his cigarette before butting it out in an ash tray on the coffee table. Horst winced at that – they would just sound like raving lunatics if they challenged Adam publicly with no proof. Without the journal, the only other lead they had was the White Fang hideout, and they were likely packing up even then. A rattling laugh came from the couch, followed by quiet scolding from Revy as Rock attempted to sit up. The young man managed to get an elbow underneath him and turn onto his weak side, but both the effort required and the pain that shot up from his wound made sure that was as far as he was going.

"It would be difficult to remove Taurus from leadership...if you didn't have any proof." Rock said quietly, but a sly grin crossed his features even despite his obvious discomfort. "But I bet if Revy digs into my shirt pocket, she'll find something that would help you all." The mentioned gunslinger stopped trying to push him back down and growled at his words. Even with a hole going all the way through him, Rock was determined to play his games.

"You'd get killed by a toddler if you thought it would feed him for a fucking day." She muttered at a volume only Rock could hear, and the pained smile he sent back did little to affect her mood. However, Revy did as he asked and reached underneath the coffee table, where a bloodstained white button up shirt had been callously thrown onto the ground earlier, most likely when they had first arrived. When she turned it around to face the front towards her, Revy found a torn and weathered piece of paper, as if it had been pulled from an old book. Revy's eyes danced across the pages for a moment before she held it out towards Horst.

"Here, Jumbo. Take it and get it out of my sight." She snarled. Horst stepped forward and pulled the page from her hands, his eyes dancing across the neat and small handwriting of the White Fang's founder. In this journal entry, Leonberger lamented how far Adam had gone to attain power. The man went on to write that it was hunger for power such as this that prevented equality between humans and Faunus, and that craving would drown the White Fang in an ocean of blood. There was more to it, but there was enough to confirm what Rock had told them and compare the handwriting to another sample later. It was definitely more than they had, and the Lagoon crew had suffered to obtain it. Rosarita's tip had just paid off.

"We appreciate this, and I speak for the whole team on that. Blake is upset, but she's the type that would rather know the truth than live in ignorance." Horst realized that upset was a severe understatement, but they needed to be going. The White Fang were vulnerable while they picked up the pieces from Lagoon's escape. "I hate to ask anything else from you guys, but just point us in the direction of the White Fang base, and we'll go have a cleaning party. We'll even put in a few hits for you." Benny and Dutch looked at each other, doing that silent communication that occurs between people that have worked together for a long time. The two stared at each other for some time, then Benny sighed heavily and rubbed the back of his head. Dutch turned and looked at Horst, a slight grimace twisting his beard sideways.

"With the White Fang out for blood, we're going to have to leave Vale anyway. I can't move Rock until he heals a bit, so we're stuck between leaving and staying. Revy won't go anywhere without Rock, so we don't have as much muscle either." The black man ran a critical eye over Horst, Ruby, and Weiss. The Titan and Ruby's scythe seemed to pass his inspection, though he paused on Weiss. "If you provided the difference and a little bit of cash, I can do better than show you their base. I can take you to it."

Horst's eyes widened in surprise, and he quickly held up his hands. There was no reason for Lagoon to risk their lives for Horst and the others, particularly when it came to a dirty organization like the White Fang. Before he could deny the offer or even make an excuse as to why they wouldn't take it, Weiss walked over to the window and looked down into the dock, where a black torpedo boat sat. It was clearly an older model, likely very similar to what Dutch had piloted during the war. It was armored all across the upper deck and above the waterline, and was likely thicker beneath it as well. It was painted matte black, but the things that attracted the most attention were the four torpedoes that sat in their launchers, two to a side. Weiss examined the boat for a moment, then turned to look at Dutch.

"How much do those torpedoes cost?"

* * *

It was somewhat funny to see Oobleck toss his carefully noted and packed camping supplies into a single corner of the cargo bay. Be it far from Spirit to make fun of a man for thinking ahead, but the accommodations on the _Infinite Sky_ far outstripped anything he could have rolled into his backpack and sleeping mat. JNPR's stuff found its way into a secured chest that Spirit had scavenged from the Cosmodrome back on Earth, a silver crate with a green light that indicated it was locked. Pyrrha and Jaune were the only ones toting backpacks, and their cumbersome loads were deposited in the chest for safe keeping. Ren and Nora had opted to give the leading pair the pack mule status, as their packs were much smaller and largely filled with ammunition. In Nora's case, there was also a disturbing pack of energy drinks.

With the _Infinite Sky_ flying high above them, JNPR set out into the ruined city of Mountain Glenn with Dr. Oobleck and Spirit supporting them. The once prosperous colony had been reduced to crumbled buildings and whispering streets, with nothing moving except for an inordinate amount of Grimm. Of course, the team was working on that worrisome nuisance.

A pack of Beowulfs had decided to try and eat the Huntsmen and Huntresses in training, and had perished in the effort. Spirit and Oobleck merely sat back and watched as the team went to work, Ren and Nora branching off to split their foes up while Pyrrha and Jaune went back to back, turning what started as a circle of howling wolves into a steep pile of corpses without much effort. Pyrrha and Jaune put the skills from their late night training sessions to good work, moving with cooperation and almost supernatural cohesion as they covered each other's blind spots quickly and effectively. Where Jaune's shield failed to cover his side completely, Pyrrha's sword was ready to deflect the blow and retaliate. If the warrior goddess' strikes left her open to attack, Jaune's bulwark of a kite shield would withstand whatever came at them, and his gleaming blade would end the next strike before it started.

Ren and Nora opted for a different strategy: Ren would shoot down as many foes as he could, leaping from buildings and crumbling statues as he led the Grimm on a savage run. Once he had whittled down the pack somewhat, he guided them straight into the path of Nora's hammer. Magnhild sent Beowulfs flying with every swing, and any that sought to take advantage of the orange haired woman's swings found multiple rounds in their skull courtesy of Ren's Storm Flower.

Spirit and Oobleck were content to sit and watch, the doctor examining the area for signs of any White Fang activity while Spirit watched the melee go down. As it stood, she was impressed with the kids and their ability to cut swaths through enemy lines. Granted, these foes weren't using tanks or guns or anything other than claws, teeth, and animal savagery, but it was clear that a legion of Hive Thrall would be easy picking for this team. That appraisal was generous, Spirit felt, coming from her. Horst had sung praises for the students in his reports back to Earth, according to Cayde and the others, but to see the kids in action was entirely different. Horst's recruitment cause had more merit to it with each passing day.

After JNPR handled everything in the area that was soulless and wore a mask, Spirit and Oobleck took over looking for clues on White Fang involvement. Almost immediately, Hope found some faded tracks left by leather boots, though they were incomplete and did not lead anywhere. It did show them an area of operations, however, and a few spent shell casings indicated that it was likely the White Fang. Toward the center of the city, Spirit began to notice smaller streets and what used to be larger buildings. The Hunter had been scrounging through ruins just like this all her life, and something seemed off about Mountain Glenn. It was clearly a bustling population center in its time, judging by the number of restaurants, office buildings, and a wide variety of other buildings in the area. Here and there were what looked like stairways that led downward, presumably to a subway. With creatures like the Grimm running around, Spirit knew that descending into those depths without reason was a good way to waste ammo.

After roughly six hours of fighting and searching, the afternoon sun sank down below the horizon, casting the burned and empty husks of buildings into golden light as it reached through their windows and doorways. To Spirit, it was a nauseating sight: to see signs of bustling human life, empty and purged of the bustling businessmen, the cheerful children, and weary mothers walking down the streets about their daily lives. There were no graves, no relatives, no sign that these people had been there. As sunlight licked at the insides and outsides of the buildings that surrounded them, Spirit's chest grew tight. For Guardians, death was a certainty: you knew that peace would not be something you would ever see when you accepted your Ghost. But to be forgotten, with no memory of testament that you had ever existed... that was the oblivion that all Guardians feared. To see it happen to a whole city left a stale taste in the Hunter's mouth.

JNPR and Spirit went through the area one last time before calling it a night, and Spirit had the _Infinite Sky_ land in the broken and bitter remains of a burger joint. The large star ship had little trouble fitting into the broken and mangled plot of concrete, though the last wall standing fell after the landing struts deployed. As the engines wound down, the cargo bay door lowered and allowed for JNPR, Spirit, and Oobleck to embark safely. Nora practically skipped into the ship, but a long day of fighting every Beowulf, Ursa, and whatever those lizard ones were called had drained the energy from Jaune, Pyrrha, and Ren. Spirit wasn't tired largely due to her Light's regenerative abilities, but the experience had been tedious for her as well. Dr. Oobleck was predictably ready for another run, but the man probably took coffee intravenously so screw him. Spirit stayed back and raised the cargo bay door while the others walked into the living quarters, and she could faintly hear Pyrrha call first dibs on the shower. Jaune instructed Ren and Nora to go next, that he would be the last on the team to take one just to make sure they were taken care of. Dr. Oobleck said nothing in regards to his hygiene needs, but Spirit knew he would probably grab a quick shower after the team was done. The prospect of sharing a shower with a group of teenagers and a caffeine addict didn't appeal to Spirit, but it was better than having stinky passengers all over the _Infinite Sky_.

When the bay closed, Spirit reached up and removed her helmet, shaking her short hair free of its confines as she set it down on her work table. The table was covered in small holes that Hope could materialize pegs to organize things with at a moments' notice, and there were small recessions in the table surface to allow for small parts like screws and latches if she were deconstructing a weapon. Above the work bench, several weapons hung up in pristine condition. Two pulse rifles painted orange and blue with the Vanguard's signature 'V' colored in blue, white, and black sat on one side, with an empty rack for Thorn next to them. Above the rifles and Thorn's rightful place, the crown jewel of Spirit's arsenal sat waiting patiently for her to call it to her again. A rocket launcher massive in size, it was painted white and gold with a black tube. Wolf crests very similar to the one that spread across her chest plate adorned the head of the scope and the grips, colored in gold and hardened for bashing things. More golden carving dotted the tube and body casing of the launcher, but otherwise it was painted white in swirling designs. The tube separated its upper and lower parts, a scope and magazine well covering the top while a lower construction very similar to a rifle in its design sat on the bottom. It was the Gjallarhorn, and if Spirit ever called for it, there would be something seriously wrong.

The Hunter took down one of the pulse rifles and looked it over, running her thumb absently over the orange finish as she thought about it. Jaune was wearing Guardian armor sans the helmet, but he still only equipped himself with his hand-me-down sword and shield combo. If he was going to be an effective Huntsman, and perhaps later Guardian, he was going to need options. And it wasn't like Spirit didn't have guns laying around all over the place anyway. The Apple of Discord was a decent piece for him. Nodding to herself, Spirit pulled the weapon from its pegs and slung it over her shoulder as she walked toward the metal stairs, leading upward into the living quarters.

As she walked into the room, Jaune had removed his armor and was cleaning it dutifully on the couch, running a white cloth across the surface of the metal plates meticulously as he waited his turn for a shower. He had separated his under suit like Horst often did, with the upper portion separated at the waist and opened up in front to look like a jacket. His gold colors and red highlights looked good on the blonde teen, and the attention he showed the armor Horst had granted him showed that he greatly appreciated the gift. Nora and Ren had disassembled their weapons and were cleaning them as well, and Ren had a spare outfit hanging up in the bunk room from what Spirit could see. Evidently, a Beowulf had gotten close enough to tear the tails on his Chinese style jacket or whatever it was called, but he was clearly prepared for this unfortunate outcome. Nora was fidgeting with the cylinder on Magnhild, which was giving her trouble rotating. The orange haired girl hummed to herself in high spirits even so, and was not fazed in the slightest that the weapon was being difficult. She had it handled.

"Hey Jaune." Spirit said out loud, and all three turned to look at her, not just Jaune. The blonde boy set down the chest plate he was polishing and stood up, looking at her questioningly.

"Yeah, Professor? What's up?" He asked, his eyes lingering on the Apple of Discord on her shoulder. Spirit didn't answer, but rather tossed the weapon toward him. Jaune didn't expect that, but he managed to catch it regardless, hugging the weapon to his chest as he awkwardly wrapped his arms around it.

"You need a long range option. As leader of your team, you need to be flexible and capable of handling any situation. Ren, Nora, and Pyrrha all have weapons that allow them to engage from close range and far away. I know you love Crocea Mors, but you need something else." Spirit explained, and walked around the couch to the stunned blonde and pulled the rifle from his grasp, holding it out in front of him as she ejected the magazine and opened the action, showing him that it was indeed empty.

"This is a pulse rifle, so its standard configuration allows it to fire three rounds every time you pull the trigger. That way, you can fire from far away with decent accuracy, but you can still throw lead at close range too." Spirit pointed to a switch near the trigger guard, and made sure that Jaune saw it before she moved her hand back to the grip. "This is a fire selector. You have three options: burst fire, semi-automatic fire, and safety. If you aren't in combat, it needs to be on safety. Here it the magazine release," she pointed to a small tab that was on either side of the weapon, near where the fire selector was located. "press it whenever you need to change mags. If I ever hear you call a magazine a 'clip', I'll throw your ass out the airlock. Understand?" Jaune looked a little overwhelmed at this crash course in rifle safety, but he hesitantly nodded and took the weapon from her hands.

"Uh...yeah, I guess so. Like this?" Jaune flipped the fire selector from safe to semi, and Spirit nodded. She handed him the magazine, and Jaune clumsily placed it into the magazine well, putting it in backwards at first. Thankfully, the magazine's construction didn't allow it to fit, and he soon corrected himself and ran the mag in soundly, rewarded with a soft click as the mag release caught the magazine. Jaune smiled when the rifle cooperated with him, and he flipped the fire selector back to safe.

"We'll go into maintenance and proper firing technique later, but right now I wanted you to have another option. When we get up tomorrow, I'll show you how to use it properly. Traveler knows there are enough targets around here." Spirit huffed, her golden eyes avoiding the blonde's as she crossed her arms. She was used to being the cold hearted bitch, but Horst had been right about the kids: they grew on you.

"Thank you so much, professor. But I gotta ask, why have you and Horst decided to give me these things? It's not that I don't appreciate them, but I don't understand why I'm getting all this." Jaune tried not to sound petulant as he set the Apple down on the couch gently, and Spirit looked back at him with a curious expression on her face. Her gaze softened, and she pointed towards the armor that lay on the couch.

"Horst said that Ruby talked to you last semester about leadership. In essence, this is the same thing. You are the leader of your team, the spearhead, the coordinator, the everything. Without you, your team cannot function properly. I've seen you in action, and Horst says you are quite the tactician on the battlefield." Spirit turned and indicated Ren and Nora with a wave, who were listening while they continued to service their weapons. "However, that sword and shield limits what you can do. The rest of your team have distance options that make them more versatile than you, since you can only defend a teammate by standing between them and an enemy, or getting up in your foe's face and beating them down. That may work against the Grimm, but the White Fang will be different. And let's not even get started on the Hive or the other forces out there that the Guardians fight every day." Jaune looked slightly crestfallen at this, and he looked down at his sheathed sword on his hip.

"Are you saying that I'm a liability for the team?" Spirit held up her hands and shook her head, a slight frown on her face.

"No, that's not it. You are an invaluable member of the team, but you aren't as capable as the others, offensively speaking. I'm just leveling the playing field for you." Spirit bounced a knuckle off of a shoulder pauldron that sat on the couch, causing a faint clink of bone on metal. "Your armor and fighting style make you the most durable on the team, but if you can't reach out and touch someone you can be taken down from afar. What if you run into a sniper, and Pyrrha or Nora can't use their weapons for one reason or another? The answer: the Apple of Discord." Spirit finished, pointing towards Jaune's new rifle. The blonde looked down across the armor that he was cleaning and at the new rifle, and a grin slowly spread across his face as he made sense of what Spirit was trying to say.

"I think I see what you mean. In that case, thank you Spirit. I can't tell you how much I appreciate the help." The Hunter blew a raspberry and waved off his thanks.

"Oh please. I'm just trying to teach you something and keep you alive. It's what Horst would do. Now hurry up, your girlfriend is about to finish up in the shower." When Jaune cocked an eyebrow at her statement, Spirit grinned and held her hand out as if she were grasping an invisible knob or valve. As she twisted, Hope adjusted the temperature on the shower, and a high pitched shriek echoed from the refresher as Pyrrha's shower suddenly got a lot colder. Spirit, Nora, and Ren bowled over laughing as a red and tan streak, wrapped in a white towel, sped from the shower to the bunk room she shared with Jaune and closed the door. The blonde dropped what he was doing and went into the shower, collecting Pyrrha's discarded clothes while trying not to join in with the raucous laughter that flooded the living quarters. Once he had gathered all of Pyrrha's things, he knocked on the bunk room door, and handed a red faced Pyrrha her belongings before closing the door for her. Jaune was mortified for her, but he couldn't deny that it was just a little funny.

After Spirit caught her breath from the laughter that afflicted her, she sighed happily and walked back out of the living quarters, this time heading toward the cockpit. While Jaune handled his embarrassed girlfriend, Spirit sat down in the pilot's seat above the co-pilot's chair, feeling the efforts of the day weigh upon her now that she wasn't moving around. The Hunter slumped down in her chair and blew a long breath out of her lungs in exasperation: other than the team building exercise and a few hundred Grimm wiped from existence, there wasn't much to show for their progress that day. Spirit held her hand out, and Hope fluttered into view, materializing from thin air in a way that made it seem as if she were flying in from on high. The Ghost landed lightly on Spirit's open hand, and cocked her head slightly.

"Long day?" She asked, her child-like voice a welcome distraction from the growls and snarls of the monsters that had culled from Mountain Glenn's empty streets. Spirit nodded wearily, and sat up to talk to her partner.

"I hope Horst had better luck than us. According to Oobleck, there was little evidence of White Fang activity here, and that doesn't match up with what Horst and RWBY found out downtown." Spirit was annoyed at the situation, but something itched at the back of her mind. The city was large for an expansion, but something about the roads got to her. There didn't seem to be evidence of previous traffic, but at the same time there wasn't an airport to allow for airships. It bugged her incessantly, but Spirit was too tired mentally to consider a problem that would still be there tomorrow.

"I'm sure we'll figure it out. Just keep at it." Hope encourage, and the false raven looked down the hallway before returning her soft blue gaze to Spirit. "So you gave him the Apple?"

"I wasn't using it, and he needed a rifle. The boy's very competent at close range, but he can't do anything if he can't get to his enemy. A Fallen Vandal in an elevated position would pick the boy apart before he ever got near the thing." Spirit almost felt like she was defending her actions, but she knew Hope understood. Spirit was slowly getting attached to the team. And so what if she was down a rifle? There were dozens more in the lockers in the cargo bay.

"I think Horst will be pleased when he hears about it." Hope said with a flutter of wings. "Want me to call him?" Spirit paused for a moment, before nodding. If anything, she could get an update on what her Titan was up to. Hope hopped out of her hand and disappeared again, and the tittering of a Ghost's processing powers echoed in her ears as she sat in the chair. Before long, a weary voice came over the communication system.

 _"That you, Spirit?"_ The Titan seemed troubled by his tone. This would be interesting.

"Hey stud. Thought I'd call in and see what you found out." She said with a grin. "Bet I killed more Grimm than you today." A dry chuckle came over the comm, but it dropped off pretty quickly.

 _"Yes, well...things got pretty complicated over here. We picked apart the scouts in the city until we found out they were planning a heist on a Dust shop. After that, things went sideways."_ Horst was clearly prepared to elaborate. Spirit leaned forward in her chair and clasped her hands in front of her face.

"Alright. Fill me in."

* * *

And that's that. Running a little loose with the Lagoon crew. Won't be a permanent addition to the story, just an ode to an excellent anime and a solution to introducing this little side mission I concocted. If anyone's wondering why I'm loading down Jaune with cool gear, it's exactly what the poor kid thought: he is horrible under powered for what awaits. I'll include some training with the Apple, but the boy's got a ranged option now.


	15. Chapter 15

So, including the Lagoon crew was received positively. Good. I can't make them a permanent part of the story, just a little two chapter cameo that scratched the itch I had for another reference. As for this chapter...please forgive me. It is necessary. I am sorry, but it is necessary.

* * *

 **Chapter 15**

The cabin of the _Black Lagoon_ wasn't as cramped as Ruby had first anticipated. If anything, it seemed built exclusively for lots of people and munitions. The PT boat currently carried all members of RWBY, Lagoon Company, and Horst across dark water, sunrise still a few hours out. Horst and the Huntresses stood behind Dutch as he piloted the boat across the murky inlet. Vale's shores provided a crescent shape that across the western side of the country. Across the inlet bay, the island of Patch sat all alone in the water. Somewhere on that rock of forest and boulder, Ruby and Yang's house sat quietly in the woods, away from the hustle and bustle of Vale. Ruby watched out the porthole as they passed it, its blotted shadow a black smudge on a landscape of darker, smudgier smudges. Ruby watched the spray of the ocean lap at the sides of the boat for a moment, then turned back toward the rest of the crew.

Of the Lagoon Company, only Dutch was present. Benny had disappeared into a comm room near the engine compartment to monitor any radio traffic as they approached. Rock and Revy were in the cargo hold with a travel friendly set up for Rock's injuries. Since they were going to hit the White Fang's headquarters, Revy argued that Rock would be safer in the Lagoon than sitting at the dock alone. It was also the only way Dutch could convince her to come with them. Weiss had elected to stay with them as well to help with Rock's treatment, and to try and smooth things over with Revy. Weiss probably wasn't the best candidate: an affluent Dust company heir trying to mend fences with a woman that had been living in the gutter since her father's death. Dutch had offered limited insight into Revy's character, and everything he said pointed to someone besides the Schnee heir helping her out. Considering the discussion that she and Blake had enjoyed back at the dock, however, neither Blake nor Yang were going anywhere near the gunslinger. Somehow, Ruby felt that was how Revy preferred it: just her and Rock. Unfortunately, a trainee Huntress knew a little more about medical treatment than a gunslinging smuggler.

In the cabin, Yang and Blake were leaning against the starboard side of the cabin, the Faunus turned away from the other passengers and whispering quietly to Yang. The blonde was trying to cheer her up, offering supportive smiles and trying to joke and lift Blake's spirits. But the truth about her parents' deaths had hit her hard, especially coming from Revy's callous perspective. There had been several glares exchanged between Blake and Revy, but on the whole the information was appreciated. Now, Ruby was worried that Blake would get off track with the mission. While they were tasked to capture Adam and possibly locate Leonberger, the reaper could only hope that Blake would refrain from going too far against Adam. Horst hadn't said anything, but Ruby had shared several worried looks with him since they had left port.

Traveling at night like they were was risky, but it was the only way that Lagoon could take RWBY and Horst to the secret hideout and leave at the same time. If any White Fang members showed up at the Lagoon Company dock, the only thing they would find would be a booby trapped building ready to detonate. Horst had spoken against planting explosives on the off chance the first people to enter the building would be friendly or law enforcement, but Dutch had clearly planted these countermeasures well in advance. The smuggler was convinced that anyone kicking in their door would not be missed. With everything necessary on board, Lagoon had accepted a sizable donation of Lien from Weiss to use the main armament of the _Black Lagoon_ : the long torpedoes that lined the sides. Dutch had no problems priming the weapons for launch, and from what he described of the hideout, they would need at least two to make entry.

According to Dutch, the wealthier residents of Vale live on the raised cliffs to the north, following along the coast towards the edge of the kingdom. The cliffs that stood there overlooking the northern exit of the port were sheer, with no caves or deformations whatsoever. That was apparently a manufactured front; the flat wall of rock was actually a mechanical door, which could open or close in order to allow goods into the White Fang's base. Evidently, the loading dock connected to a series of old railway and mining tunnels that conjoin with the kingdom's modern subway system in key areas. This allowed the White Fang a discreet loading area to introduce shipments of weapons and supplies from all over Remnant, and distribute it to their members without going across roads, bridges, or other easily monitored paths. It was a nice set up from an objective point of view, with one flaw: secret bases are only good if they are a secret. Once someone finds out about a secret hideout, leaving is the only option. No matter how defensible the place is, discretion is the greatest defense. Without it, you were an easy target.

Dutch navigated the bay based on memory, what little light the shattered moon shone upon the murky water, and the navigational buoys placed in the water for watercraft traveling at night such as theirs. A somewhat dated nav system shone green on the screen next to Dutch, with a grid system indicating latitude and longitude. Ruby watched the small blip that was the _Black Lagoon_ cross the grid slowly, heading toward the coast and a point marked FANG. With Blake and Yang in their own conversation, Ruby slid up to Horst's side and elbowed him gently. The Titan grunted when she lightly tapped his side, but turned his milky white eye her way.

"What will happen when we get there, Professor?" She asked. Horst hesitated for a moment, unsure of how to explain it to Ruby. She had fought the White Fang and some of Roman's thugs before, but this was different. In their previous encounters, Ruby had always fought criminals with the police on the way. It was a home field advantage: hold them off until the police arrive. In this base, with caves and old tunnels to exploit, the White Fang could kill them all and no one would ever find their bodies. It was going to be a different set of rules now.

"I won't lie Ruby. It will probably get messy. Remember when you fought those thugs at the Dust shop, before you came to Beacon?" She nodded, recalling the night she thwarted a robbery as the official beginning to her Huntress career.

"Yeah, it was awesome! I was all BAM!, POW!, HIYA!" Ruby punched the air in front of her, her feet dancing across the floor as she pantomimed the actions she had done that night, wielding an imaginary scythe in her hands. Horst nodded at her demonstration, though there was strain in his smile.

"Yes, I saw the video. You were very impressive. But in this assault, what we're about to do – are you sure you're ready for it?" Horst turned towards the reaper and knelt slightly, lowering himself until he sat eye to eye with the Youngest Huntress at Beacon. Ruby hated when people treated her like a little kid, but her confusion forestalled any disagreement she might have had.

"What do you mean? We fight bad guys all the time." Ruby tried to play in off, but Horst's grim countenance put paid to anything she could downplay.

"You fight them all the time. But how many people have you ever killed? How many lives have you taken in battle? Are you ready for that?" Ruby processed his words for a moment – then snorted and laughed.

"THAT'S what you're worried about? I've killed six people." Horst just stared at her blankly.

"What?"

"Yeah. Some of Roman's goons got in my way, and I broke some ribs, caused some really bad concussions. And the White Fang, don't even get me started." Ruby counted down on her fingers as if she were ticking off weapon modifications. "One guy went into a coma afterwards and never woke up, two are paralyzed for life. Like, three of them overdosed on pain meds afterwards."

"Yeah." Yang added in her two cents, causing Horst to turn his surprised expression her way. "When I threw down in Junior's club last semester, I broke one guy's back. Took him hours to die. I sent his family flowers. Very sad." Yang shrugged. Instead of adding her own story, Blake just nodded mutely. Horst stared at all three present Huntresses for a moment, then stood up and turned toward the window, hiding his stupefied face from them.

"Ah. Well. Okay. We're good to go then. We'll neutralize all resistance, and form two teams. One will go after Taurus while the other searches for Leonberger." Horst said, clearing his throat and shrugging. With how innocent they acted, as often as he seen them behave like children, he had just assumed they didn't know what it was like to take a life. Clearly, he was mistaken. They were more prepared for a life of crime fighting and monster hunting than he had realized. Huh.

"You kids sound like you're starting to get into the swing of things." Dutch said from the controls, trying not to laugh at the professor's misjudgment. "Hope you're ready for a throw down, because we're on approach. I'm almost in range for the torpedoes." The three students and their teacher crowded towards the fore of the boat, watching the cliffs ahead of them bounce as they approached. Up ahead, the cliffs shifted in and out of view because of the predawn twilight, but even from their distance Ruby could see the small seam that ran across the cliff wall, right at the base. It passed inspection from the Vale authorities likely due to a mixture of few patrols and how rarely anyone went north from Vale. Most traffic flowed west, or went around the southern tip and ignored the northern edge to avoid the thick ice fields that covered Remnant's northern pole. The south pole was less frigid, likely due to the imbalance caused by the moon's destruction so very long ago. Horst found it odd, but everyone else accepted it as fact.

As they neared the cliffs, Dutch thumbed a release near four levers on the console. In response, two solid green lines appeared on his display, highlighting the paths that the warheads would travel once launched. The spectacled man placed all four fingers across the black levers, and spoke to Horst without looking away from the controls.

"You might want to get ready to disembark. We'll be throwing you in as soon as we reach the blast zone. Revy will need to go, too. She's got a surprise for these bastards as well." Horst nodded and walked back to the hatch. Ruby watch Blake and Yang follow him, then turned back to watch Dutch pilot the _Lagoon_ closer to the secret entrance.

"Thank you for helping us." She said quietly. Dutch didn't respond, but he did nod once, slowly. That was enough for her. Ruby quickly walked out the hatch as well, closing it behind her and leaving Dutch to himself. On the other side of the door, RWBY and Horst were standing next to one of the bulkheads (a wall for those new to naval terminology.), where Rock was strapped into a cot to keep him stable. Revy sat next to him, a long black case held in one hand as she and Horst went over the details of the coming attack with her. Weiss was talking to Yang, gesturing towards Rock and his bandaged chest. Some of the bandages were fresh, and the poor businessman seemed slightly more comfortable. Whatever Revy and Weiss had done had helped the man.

"...as soon as he makes the turn, we'll let you blast the dock. After that, we'll be airborne and you can get out of here. You're risking enough just bringing us here." Horst said firmly. Revy shook her head and chuckled darkly, a manic glee in her lidded eyes as he tapped the black plastic case at her side. This Revy was different from the one they had seen at the dock. Instead of the frenzied care and reluctant affection she had shown while tending Rock's wounds, there was a blood lust in her eyes that made Ruby uncomfortable. The reaper had few problems killing someone if necessary – it was a nasty part of the job, but part of the job nonetheless – but she didn't actively seek out a reason to end someone's life. The look in Revy's eyes indicated that someone was going to die a very painful death for hurting Rock. Dutch had referred to it as Whitman Fever, after some remorseless killer that had wiped out a few people years ago. That same emotionless gaze rested in Revy's eyes, with a manic grin underneath it.

"We're not risking getting taken out by a bunch of savages just for you. This is revenge too; a message to anyone else that decides to fuck with us." Outside, the pitch of the screw lowered somewhat, and they felt the weight of the boat shift forward slightly as Dutch slowed down. Revy rolled with it almost on instinct, but the others stumbled somewhat. Rock remained in his cot, a large loading strap holding him in place. He looked up towards the team.

"You guys might want to get topside. Dutch has slowed down to firing speed." He advised. His breaths still came in quick, quiet gasps, but he could handle whole sentences. Revy turned and looked at him for a moment, and a spark of life crossed her dead gaze before she walked toward the ladder and started climbing.

"Don't tell me what to do, Rock. Now sit down here and work on getting better, dumbass." The strapped down business man grinned at her retreating form and looked over at the assembled team. He raised his hand as far as he could and offered a thumbs up.

"Revy will make sure you guys get in. Just be careful. She gets like this whenever things get rough. It's how she copes." He gave them a weak smile. "Good luck."

"Thank you for helping us. The White Fang have been led on for too long by a disillusioned anarchist. We'll handle Taurus, and hopefully find the man he replaced. And we owe that to you." Horst thanked Rock with a small bow. Ruby patted the man on the shoulder and gave him her own grin.

"Don't worry, we'll put in a few licks for ya!" She said enthusiastically. With that, the team climbed the ladder Revy had just ascended, and found their way onto the deck. The spray of water added a bit of chill to the air, but the sun was slowly climbing up behind them. From outside of Dutch's little command center, the night was much darker. Ruby could barely make out Revy's strutting form as she climbed up into the crow's nest, a circular lookout on top of the cabin with a raised bar around its circumference to provide support for heavy weapons. In the war, it had likely sported a machine gun, but Revy was toting some shoulder mounted hardware instead of a belt fed meat grinder. Horst had to shout over the engine and the spray of the ocean, but his deep voice could still be heard.

"We'll have to stay aft of the ship! When Dutch swings around, we'll need to jump and clear the rocks!" He bellowed. Unable to respond without starting a war of 'what?' going back and forth, each member of RWBY nodded that they had heard. As they readied themselves for a wild ride, Ruby could barely see Revy opening the case.

The bay door was staying closed, mostly because of the lack of supplies coming in. After the Lagoon Company deal went south, nearly every other smuggler was giving the White Fang the stink eye, no matter how much Roman bribed, threatened, and cajoled. Evidently, Adam's stunt that he pulled with Lagoon's business man had incurred lasting effects in the Vale underground, and as such their dock sat empty. A few guards patrolled the area and a harbormaster manned the door controls just in case a White Fang party needed a quick getaway or something. Beyond that, however, most of the muscle had moved inland, toward the Mountain Glenn base. As it stood, two guards stood and looked at the bay door, not expecting it to move. The only reason they weren't sitting on a wooden crate playing cards or whatever was because Taurus came through every now and then, and slacking off around the boss was a big no no.

"Hey." The one on the left, a deer Faunus said next to his partner. "Do you hear that?" The other Faunus, a boar one by the tusks that jutted from her jaw, cocked her head and listened intently.

"Oh yeah, it's the sound of you being an idiot." She said as if there was a great clarification being made.

"Oh yeah." He said dejectedly. Silence sat between the two as he thought about what she had said. Suddenly, the masked deer Faunus jerked his head up in indignation.

"Hey, that's not very-"

A pair of colossal explosions interrupted whatever the stupid guy was about to say, heat and a blast of sound and force knocking them to the ground. The bay door hung open, torn apart from the bottom as metal and concrete had been blasted away from the outside. The dry dock flooded with water, and the whole bay shook with the force of the explosions. The deer guy stood up groggily from the ground where he fell, his counterpart buried underneath a few fallen pieces of concrete. The man blearily looked through the hole rent in the door, and a bouncing floodlight could be seen coming in towards them. As the craft grew closer, the guard's eyes widened beneath his mask as he recognized exactly what was coming at them; _Black Lagoon_ , the last ship to leave the slipway. Of course, the people they had double crossed turned out to be the proud owners of a friggin' torpedo boat! The guard went to sound the alarm, but the appearance of a figure on top of the boat made him pause. The person's ponytail flapped in the harsh wind, but anyone could recognize an RPG launcher.

"Knock knock, motherfuckers!" The projectile push its way out of the tube with a loud hiss, flaring with fire and prongs as it streaked towards him. The deer Faunus fell back just in time for the RPG to fly over him, slamming into the wall behind him and causing the bay to shake again as more rubble dropped from on high. On the other side of the wall, the harbormaster's office was painted red by its owner encountering the secondary charge in the explosive. The cacophony of explosions ruined the man's hearings, and he clutched his head groggily as a high pitched ringing filled his brain. That had almost been the end of him.

Still lying on his back, the Faunus looked up blearily to see that the boat was much closer now, maybe one hundred meters from the destroyed bay door. In the back of his mind, he wondered why the pilot was coming head on at such speed; there was no way the PT boat was going to fit through the ragged hole torn in the moving wall of concrete and steel. The answer to his question came when the boat suddenly swung to one side, sending water slashing over the gaping wound in the hideout's door – as well as five figures leaping through the air. The torpedo boat continued its turn and exit out toward open water, leaving the figures that had disembarked on a one way trip as they made contact with the concrete edge of the dock without effort. As he struggled to stand, the White Fang guard saw the assault for what it was: a cover for an infiltration. The five running towards him were a myriad of colors; red and black, white and red, black and white, yellow and brown. The leader was brilliant silver, his armor reflecting the flames in a mixture orange and red. The big guy in silver armor was in the back, but somehow the deer Faunus didn't want to – oh shit they were on top of him!

The chick in red and black – was that a scythe?! - jumped over the White Fang guard and his partner, and the other two girls as well. The big guy sidestepped them as he kept running, and the Faunus rolled over to watch them run on. Once they got past him, he would uncover his partner and sound the alarm. Not that anyone would think there wasn't an emergency with the explosions going off, but a solid location would mean the difference between a competent defense and a bunch of Faunus in masks running around an old bunker. The guard was so caught up in thinking about his next move, he didn't notice that the blonde chick hadn't passed him yet. Or rather, she was standing right behind him. The scrape of boot on concrete, however, gave him pause.

"Hey there." The guy turned around, looking up at the blonde chick. She had a golden pair of shotgun gauntlets, and the biggest pair of knockers he had ever-

THWACK! Yang pulled her arm back from the punch and smirked at the unconscious guard. The discussion on the PT boat had been morbid, but she wasn't going to kill a guy for no reason. Middle of combat, sure thing. Guy slumped on the ground wasn't worth killing in cold blood. Yang made sure the other Faunus was down as well, then chased after her team. The slipway went up a gradual ramp that was wide, wide enough to accommodate two sizable boats to be loaded. Several empty pallets lay discarded at the top of the ramp, and two square hallways led deeper into the complex. Horst looked one way, then the other as he searched for some indication of which way to go. Unfortunately, besides the fire alarm that had started to go off, the two halls looked entirely identical. Ruby started toward the hall on the left, then turned around and looked at her team.

"Well, which way do we go?" She asked, putting Crescent Rose on her shoulder as she tapped her foot impatiently. The redhead was a sugar rush on a normal day, but every time the alarm sounded, more White Fang would be on their way. Blake and Yang looked each way as well, before Weiss rolled her eyes.

"Isn't it obvious? Three of us go one way, and two go the other way. We try to find Leonberger and Adam, and then get out of here." Weiss said impatiently, crossing her arms as she gestured toward Horst. "The only question is who Professor Horst is going with."

"Dibs!" Yang called, nudging Blake with her elbow while she did so. "We'll head left and take the metal tank with us. If we cause more trouble, you two should be able to get around quietly." Horst shrugged and nodded in agreement. Blake said nothing, her golden eyes searching every shadow and corner for any sign of Adam Taurus. Evidently, she had skipped the denial stage of grieving and powered right on into the anger stage. Hopefully, Yang and Horst together would be able to mellow her out. Ruby grinned widely and held out a closed fist, and Yang bumped it with her own.

"Be safe, and contact Summer if anything comes up. We'll let Switch know if we find anything." Ruby ordered. Blake and Yang nodded, and Horst waved her on.

"Alright, get a move on then." Horst said impatiently. He pulled Chimera from his back and started walking toward the right hallway, and he could distantly hear the echo of pounding feet in the distance. They needed to clear the dock and soon. Ruby and Weiss heard it as well, and they bolted toward their hallway without a second glance. Yang and Blake exchanged a look of their own, then Yang clanked Ember Celica together loudly, the metal collisions echoing down the concrete hallway bouncing off the walls.

"Come get your naps! Fresh hot naps, right here!" The brawler boasted, and Blake shook her head at her partner's behavior. Horst chuckled as well, and the two girl stepped back as electrical currents danced across his blade. Horst swung the large sword in a circle over his head, gathering more electricity into the blade as he channeled more and more Arc energy. Once he had enough, Horst swung the sword three times, horizontally, vertically, and diagonally as he sent three blades of Arc energy down the hall. The waves of blue light arced into the walls, scorching black spots wherever the strands of electricity made contact with the wall. The waves of energy shot down the hallway, just as five, seven, and eventually ten White Fang security members turned the corner. They all stopped when they saw the three bolts of electricity heading their way, but freezing while under fire shall always be a bad move. The first wave detonated when it reached the front man, purging his nervous system as lightning ran pain from head to toe as his mouth dropped in a silent scream. While he endured his electrical hell, the other two bolts found victims as well, locking up a female and another male Faunus that had come in from behind. As the three twitched under the assault of the current rampaging through their bodies, the atoms in the air grew excited with such energy concentrated in one place. As the others looked on in a mixture of fear and horror, bolts of lightning shot out from the afflicted White Fang members, and arced to the other seven almost faster than the eye could keep up with. Soon, all ten were writhing on the ground in pain, their skin darkened in places where the voltage had passed from their bodies, the cloying odor of ozone hit Blake's nose, and she flinched slightly as the last one fell. From the whimpering and groaning coming from the fallen Faunus, none of them had died. But they certainly weren't fighting anymore either.

Horst swung Chimera back into place and charged down the hallway, Blake and Yang following closely behind. They slowed up as they turned the corner, both to step over the incapacitated White Fang members on the ground and to be prepared for any late arrivals. The only thing that greeted them was another hallway, this one with an actual loudspeaker blaring the fire alarm at near excruciating levels. Horst drew his sidearm and silenced the infernal machine with two shots, much to Blake's grateful ears. With the alarm now far away instead of polluting their senses with its blaring klaxon, more boots pounding concrete could be heard further along.

"Make some noise, and attract as many of them as you can." Horst ordered. "We need to buy as much time for Ruby and Weiss as possible." He turned and looked at Blake, her yellow eyes boring into his expressionless helmet as she scowled in contempt. The look wasn't for Horst, but rather intended for the red haired leader of the White Fang.

"Blake, I will do everything I can to help you get revenge for your family." Horst said evenly. "But do not think for a single second that I will let you become the animal Faunus are accused of being. No vengeance is worth throwing everything away." She looked away at the mention of animal, and found a reassuring smile on Yang's face as well.

"Don't go crazy on us, kitty cat. I'm not going to let you go feral. Now let's go get this guy." Yang winked and offered a cheesy thumbs up, breaking the scowl from Blake's face even if only for a few seconds. It was touching, truly touching, that her partner and her teacher cared so much for her. Adam had taken something precious from her to further his own goals, throwing her people into the fire in the process. No, Blake wouldn't murder the White Fang leader in cold blood. Doing so would just lead to her becoming him, not getting rid of him.

"Don't be so dramatic." Blake managed to say as she drew Gambol Shroud from her back. Yang grinned widely again, and together the three charged deeper into the base.

* * *

 **(Killing Strangers** by _Marilyn Monroe_ )

 _"This world doesn't need no opera..."_

"Damn it, I don't have time to mess around with you dickheads. WHERE. IS. YOUR. BASE?" Spirit snarled in the scout's face. Like any sane person, the vicious words and tone from a woman wearing a full helmet and armor and holding a menacing looking dagger to his twig and berries made him let out a terrified 'eep' in response. To his right, his partner was shaking his head vigorously, obviously trying to tell him not to say anything. However, duct tape made clear communication a chore when applied to the mouth.

"Uh, I-I-I told you, we're the only ones out here. T-there's no base, I swear. Just me and him." The scout managed to stammer out, and his whimpers of fear rose several octaves when Spirit dragged her dagger across the fork of his pants slightly, the faint ripping sound more foreboding than the most savage growl. Clearly, she didn't believe him in the slightest.

"If you're going to lie to me, at least try something more convincing. You don't have any packs, spare magazines, or even a change of clothes. Yet, despite this place being overrun with Grimm, you have fresh clothes and full ammo in your guns. You don;t look starved either, and the nearest population center is several days away. So again, where is your base?" Spirit leaned back, gripping one of the scout's biceps as he dangled from her Glimmer generated shackles in the wall. "If you keep up this lying business, I may take more than just your dangly bits." Her words dripped with venom, and the scout had no problem believing that she would follow through on her threat. His eyes bugged out beneath his mask, his gaze flitting feverishly between his captor and his friend. The other captured Faunus shook his head again, though he too pulled as far away from Spirit as his own shackles allowed. Which wasn't much. Still, he clamped his mouth shut, dormouse valor flaring within him as he shakily denied the orders of the woman holding his nuts hostage.

 _"We don't need a bigger knife..."_

Spirit paused as she drew the bone blade across his crotch, then dropped it much lower. Before he realized what she was doing, Spirit had seized his leg high, above the round ball of his ankle as the dagger slipped behind his calf. Before he knew it, the Achilles tendon on his right leg parted, and pain unlike anything he'd ever experienced lanced all the way up from his heel to his thigh. A shriek of agony burst from his lips, and he wailed almost uninterrupted until the piercing scream turned into a muffled moan by Spirit's blood covered glove covering his mouth.

"You are no longer worth anything to the White Fang, except as a martyr. Oh, this guy was tortured and killed by humans? Post his picture on every wall and tell the press." The Faunus continued to heave pained grunts on the other side of her hand, but his fearful gaze never left her masked visage. "If you survive, they may just kill you anyway. Who's to know how you died, so long as it sends the same message right? That's what this little group of civil rights activists have turned into – a pack of animals that scream that they aren't animals and maul anyone that disagrees. Regular Faunus go about their jobs, catch shit from the occasional racist, and live the lives of second class citizens. Before you bunch turned feral, there was legitimate respect for what the White Fang stood for. Now, you're just making things worse."

Spirit held her dagger downward in a reverse grip, this time holding it above the man's thigh, on his uninjured leg. The muffled pants and moans rose in tempo and pitch as the gleaming tip of the obsidian blade hung over his leg, nothing keeping the hungry tip from his flesh but for a thin pair of black pants. Despite the pain of his severed heel, or maybe even because of it, the gleaming point shone in his vision with vivid clarity. Spirit hushed him gently, a parody of gentle soothing 'shh shh shh' coming from behind her helmet as the blade dipped dangerously close to his leg.

"Tell me where it is. I let you go, and you live as a cripple that survived a war caused by lunatics for a false cause. Or stay silent like your friend, and end up just like him." Spirit said quietly. The other bound man didn't hear her say this, but her gaze crossing him sent him into a frenzy none the less. The poor man pulled against the steel manacles as hard as he could, but the programmed matter refused to budge. Before the maimed one could blink, Spirit's dagger sank deep into the other one's chest, underneath his throat just above the collarbone. A gurgling rumble escaped from the duct taped mouth, and a spatter of blood gushed from the corner where the tape wasn't flush with the man's skin. Spirit locked eyes as best she could with the maimed Faunus, then dragged the serrated blade downward through the collarbone and sternum. The abhorrent ripping and cracking sounds intensified from the man's flesh as her blade marched its grisly path down his chest, almost gliding through vest, skin, muscle, and bone with ease. Blood spattered from the gaping wound onto Spirit's arms and chest plate, but her gaze remained fixed on the White Fang member that wasn't dying from a blade to the chest. After she got past the rib cage, Spirit pulled her blade from the man's chest cavity with a horrid sucking sound, his blood spurting out in rivulets as his heart failed to recognize that the arteries were severed. After a few moments, the man slumped in his restraints and heaved almost a sigh as air escaped his lungs for the last time. The sharp odor of waste hit the surviving Faunus' nose as his partner's bowels released, and he turned his head away from the sight, his pained gasps and grunts contorting into sobs.

 _"We're killing strangers so we don't kill the ones who we love."_

His will was broken. The White Fang owed him no favors, and without his Achilles tendon, he was crippled for the rest of his life. The man nodded rapidly for Spirit, and she stood up slowly and loomed over him as if she were Death herself. In broken, shaky breaths, the scout told her of how the entrance to the base was near a strip mall on the eastern side of the city. He revealed the directions on how to get to the fallen rail yard that ran all over the subterranean portions of Vale, and the collapsed places where the Grimm had overrun it long ago. Spirit took careful note of the path he mentioned, then turned and stood up. With a wave of Spirit's hand, Hope disintegrated the shackles that held the the two White Fang members to the wall. The surviving scout immediately clutched his severed tendon in pain, tears streaming down his face as he trembled in a mixture of fear and pain. Beside him, his dead comrade slumped to the side as another clout of blood dripped from his gaping chest wound. Spirit turned and walked out, ducking under the crumbling door frame and into the weak morning light. Outside, Oobleck and JNPR were waiting patiently, though Nora and Ren edged away from Spirit slightly. They had been near the door, and had heard the inhuman scream of pain and the horrible sounds of breaking bone and rending flesh. Spirit avoided their gaze, and instead focused on Oobleck.

"When Mountain Glenn failed, where did the citizens go to make their last stand?" She asked, crossing her arms. The doctor thought about it for a moment, then slammed a fist into his open hand. The doctor began pacing furiously, kicking up a dust trail while Jaune and Pyrrha watched idly from their perch on a destroyed wall.

"Of course of course of course! How could I be so stupid?" The professor berated himself as he paced. "When Mountain Glenn was first designed, it used an underground railway system to commute to the rest of the kingdom. When the Grimm began attacking, the locals retreated to the inner city, beneath the ground, and sealed themselves off from the surface in a last ditch effort for survival. Unfortunately, an unexplained explosion destroy a cave wall, exposing a huge chasm filled with subterranean Grimm." Dr. Oobleck paused to take a breath, and Jaune and Pyrrha looked over at their teammates with worried expressions. Cut off from Vale, trapped underground with a bunch of Grimm? It was like something out of a child's nightmare, but it had been reality for the helpless citizens of Mountain Glenn. The fear of being discovered from above, only for the monstrosities to be lurking in the dark as well...Jaune didn't envy the dead of their fate.

"The kingdom sealed off the train tunnels, effectively turning Mountain Glenn into the world's largest tomb. That's where the White Fang base is! Spectacular!" Oobleck zipped around, his eyes running over the surrounding area with lightning speed. "I don't suppose they told you where the entrance is, by chance?" Spirit nodded slowly, and pointed towards the east.

"There's a ruined strip mall that way. Apparently, they use a dumpster to cover the entrance. It's weight and inconspicuous appearance hides the entrance from view." Spirit said, and pulled a worn cloth from a pouch on her belt. Drawing from the grip downward, she wiped her blade clean of blood several times, then shook the rag for a few moments before tossing it into the doorway she had come out of. Jaune watched the blood soaked piece of cloth fly through the air, his eyes tracking it as it fell into the dark shadow cast by the approaching dawn. On instinct, Jaune walked toward the door, intent on letting the prisoners loose. Spirit blocked his path with a raised arm, and Jaune's expression darkened slightly as he stared at her.

"What did you do to them?" He asked quietly. Nora and Ren crossed the concrete to stand near Oobleck and Pyrrha, all four watching as Spirit and Jaune stared each other down. Despite how she had demonstrated that she could completely destroy his entire team, Jaune showed no fear as he glared holes into her helmet. Spirit heaved a sigh and let her arm fall, though Jaune did not step past her.

"It's not what I did that matters, but why. Those two were pawns in a game that moves toward an end we can't see yet. But from what Horst said about Taurus and how he took over the White Fang...without that information, we may not be able to save anyone. I did some nasty things to get this information, because that's what it took. Leave them be, and follow me. You don't need to see what's in there." Jaune looked back into the looming darkness, his nose just barely picking up the sickly sweet smell of blood and defecation. Whatever had happened in there, whatever she had done...those men weren't leaving. He stared into the darkness and fumed silently, then turned on his heel and marched angrily over to his team. Spirit watched him walk back, then nodded slightly as if he were convincing her to do something. These damned kids were making her soft. Reaching underneath her cloak to her belt, Jaune was so focused on Pyrrha and the rest of his team that he didn't notice Spirit toss the grenade into the building. A fast paced, climbing series of tones followed, and suddenly a cloud of violent electricity burst from the doorway. Jaune heard the blast go off, but he didn't turn around. He just hunched his shoulders and kept moving, while Nora and Ren watched a small cloud of smoke roll out from the destroyed building, some of it exiting the destroyed ceiling while the rest curled out the doorway. Spirit and Jaune both took the lead, with Oobleck and Pyrrha following close behind. Ren went to follow as well, but Nora stood watching the black smoke climb into the air. The ninja walked over to his partner cautiously, her eyes hidden by the bangs that fell over her eyes. He didn't have to see the look on her face to know that she was troubled by how Spirit had handled the White Fang scouts.

"Nora, come on. We've got to keep moving." Ren said gently, stepping closely enough to place a hand on her arm. Nora looked down to see his soft grasp on her arm, and she finally turned away from the smoking ruin and face Ren. Her eyes were wide, but the certain, joyous gleam that always permeated her demeanor had been replaced by uncertainty, and perhaps even a little bit of fear. That look on Nora's face affected Ren more than he cared to admit.

"Ren...we are the good guys, right?" She asked quietly, another change that troubled Ren. He nodded and grabbed her shoulders, locking eyes with the young woman he had been friends with for a long time.

"Yes Nora. We're the good guys." His gaze drifted toward the ruined building where Spirit had interrogated the two scouts. "Sometimes, good guys have to do bad things to catch the bad guys. But as long as we remember what makes us good, we should be okay. And try not to do this kind of thing if we can help it." He wrapped an arm around her shoulders and slowly turned the valkyrie away from the building, walking her slowly toward the path the others had taken. Nora still kept her head down, but she moved more quickly. Ren squeezed her again as they walked, and his hand dropped to hers as they caught up to the group. Nora grasped his hand like a lifeline, and neither one of them said a word as they ran. They didn't have to. Nora knew that Ren was there for her, whenever she needed him. Ren knew that Nora would go to the end of the world for him, and that was more than he deserved.

While Nora and Ren caught up to them, Jaune and Spirit walked side by side, Spirit leading slightly as she pushed their way down deserted streets, looking for the long brick building that land marked their destination. A few Beowulfs and two or three Ursa stood in their path, but Thorn put them down so quickly that Jaune did not even draw his sword. Spirit returned the hand cannon to her hip in stride, the weapon disappearing in the sway of her cloak without interrupting her stride or flow. Jaune watched how she moved, and thought about how she had tortured the scouts and what she had said afterwards came to his mind. He had no illusions on what she had done; he'd seen the movies, heard the stories of what veteran Huntsmen and Huntresses had been forced to do in the line of duty. Some stood disgraced, having gone to far; a reminder that there was a line not to be crossed. As he stared at the woman steeped in death, the one that Horst trusted above all else, he did not know where she stood on that line. And Jaune wasn't sure he wanted to know, either.

"Stop staring at me like I shot your parents." Spirit said irritably, not looking at him. For a moment he wondered how she knew that he was staring, especially with how helmets usually obscured peripheral vision. Still, she had done far more impressive things than realize he was looking at her.

"Why did you do that to those men? What did they do to deserve death?" Spirit huffed in frustration, increasing her pace more to enter an area where silence was necessary than to run away from him. Unfortunately, the strip mall was still a ways away. Suddenly, Spirit longed for the days when she wasn't babysitting new blood. Traveling with Horst and the others had been so much easier.

"They chose the wrong side. Not only that, they believed that what they were doing was right." Spirit glanced at him while keeping an eye out for the entrance as well as any hostiles. White Fang and Grimm would both jump at the opportunity to catch them unawares, and training up the newbies was not going to be carved on her headstone. "There's nothing we can do or say to convince them that we are in the right. If I asked them nicely, they would have spat in my face and shot me for good measure. I got the information that we needed, and now we may be able to safe someone that would have died otherwise."

"We could have saved _them_! We could have tied them up or something, let them-" Spirit whirled around and stabbed him in the chest with her finger, anger clear and evident in her voice.

"If we had let them go, they would have warned the others. If we had tied them up, the Grimm would have found them. Is what I did more cruel than leaving them chained for beasts to tear them apart? Would that have sat better on your conscience, Blondie? Because I can assure you, being torn limb from limb by monsters is a lot more painful than anything my knife can do." With that said, she turned around as quickly as she had at first, leaving Jaune standing stock still and watching her walk. Oobleck came up next to him and patted his shoulder consolingly, then continued on behind Spirit. He clearly wasn't comfortable with the deed, by the hard line his mouth was set in and his furrowed brow. But the professor had not stopped the Hunter from carrying out the deed. Pyrrha was next, her hand resting on the middle of his back as she did her best to offer a reassuring smile. Jaune nodded in appreciation of the sentiment, but whatever Spirit had done to those men just felt evil. No man, regardless of country or creed, should ever be forced to go through the things she had done to them. And yet, it had earned them information that would make securing a safe future easier. Was that worth a little evil?

"I don't know if what she did was right, Jaune." Pyrrha said quietly. "But I do know there's nothing to be done about it now. We'll speak to Professor Horst when this is over. He'll know what to say." Jaune nodded and offered a feeble smile as thanks for her words, but it didn't reach his eyes.

"I know we're supposed to hunt down the bad guys. I mean, it's in the name Huntsman and Huntress. But I don't know if we need to become monsters to chase down the monsters. There has to be a better way." Jaune clearly felt guilty about capturing someone and turning them over to Spirit's capable hands, but there was nothing to be done about it now, as Pyrrha said. Jaune shook his head and nodded toward the buildings ahead; Spirit stood off to one side, arms crossed and her foot tapping impatiently. Oobleck stood beside her, beckoning them on with a wave of his hand. As Jaune and Pyrrha steeled themselves to continue, Ren and Nora joined them as well. The team shared a myriad of looks: hesitation, regret, and just a little bit of fear. But they were here on a mission. Jaune took a deep, calming breath and closed his eyes. When he opened them, JNPR as one stepped forward.

* * *

As she jumped around what could be loosely considered a mess hall, Yang could honestly say that intentionally causing a ruckus was probably one of her favorite orders to carry out. In fact, if this whole Huntress thing didn't pan out, she'd definitely put it on her resume for the next job. She bounced off of a concrete column and skidded to a halt behind a corner. Across the way, Blake and Horst sent a few well aimed shots down range, dropping a few more White Fang members as they returned fire. Blake's rounds were aimed for knees, elbows, and shoulders; incapacitating shots that would put even the most hardy soldier out of commission. Horst's sidearm favored a more simple approach: two in the chest, or one in the head. The fact that he threw lead toward their enemies one handed and almost bored exacerbated the point that he didn't care whether the White Fang lived or died. As the dead and wounded began to outnumber the White Fang members still retaliating, that concept became more intimidating.

Yang let the fire towards her die down for a moment, then side stepped out and tossed a few shells from Ember Celica towards the Fang as well. Where Blake and Horst's rounds killed or injured, Yang's projectiles exploded. The red flares streaked across the open space quickly, finding their mark on the ground just past the columns and wall the White Fang were using as cover. The twin detonations sent several members falling out from cover, and the shrapnel from the torn concrete and explosion put three more down for the duration of the fight. With most of their numbers down, the remaining members of the White Fang withdrew. Five or six panicked soldiers turned and ran, one of them unlucky enough to catch a round from Blake in the thigh. The woman cried out as the bullet threaded through her flesh and muscle, but besides a pained hop she kept moving. A pall of gun smoke hung over the mess area as the remaining White Fang littered the ground, some groaning in pain, others silent. Horst watched the hallway that the White Fang has retreated down, waiting for any others to come to the party late. When a few seconds passed and no one else decided that fighting them was a good idea, Horst, Blake, and Yang all stepped out from cover to take in the carnage. Blast marks, destroyed tables and columns, and more spent brass than candy at a Halloween festival showed how nasty the firefight had been. Blake and Horst were entirely unharmed, and Yang only sported a charred edge to her jacket when she had been slow avoiding a grenade.

"You know, you'd think they would put up more of a fight considering how much trouble they cause." Yang said with a puzzled expression, scratching her head at how easily they had taken down nearly thirty armed people without breaking a sweat. Sure, Horst was a walking genocide on his own, and Blake was nothing to sneeze at either, but the element of surprise had run out long ago. Were these guys that incompetent, or was there some other reason behind their flimsy resistance?

"Let's not look a gift horse in the mouth, Yang." Horst chided. "We need to fan out and look for any sign of our quarry. Check the inventory down that way. It would be a good place to keep a prisoner. I'll head toward the old admin offices. Meet up back here in fifteen minutes." The Titan removed his blade from his back and gripped it with both hands, the cloudy white crystal at its hilt flashing red as he stomped toward the hall he had indicated. Blake and Yang watched him go, then turned and went down the hallway nearest to them. Stenciled on the white wall in concrete lettering were the words, 'shipping intake', clearly where all the cargo containers were kept. Blake moved ahead of Yang, silently, her superior hearing and night vision providing a clue to what was ahead as the lighting grew dimmer. When the two rounded the corner, they found out why.

The hallway ended to a metal catwalk, which connected to a staircase that descended into a truly enormous cargo. Down below them, a track system ran along the full length of the room from another darkened hallway, likely for transporting shipping containers on some sort of car system. Level with the catwalk they slowly walked out onto, a large crane hung motionless, with a grid-like array of rails that allowed the crane operator to move crates around to nearly any spot in the room. Unfortunately, the area was so vast that the two dozen hanging florescent lights did little to banish the shadows from the area. All across the floor, immense shipping containers covered the area. Each one was eight feet tall and ran for thirty feet, and all were hardened steel. Coming in a mixture of blue, brown, and white, the containers were stacked in no observable order, though their arrangement revealed dozens of little hideaways and paths throughout the room. From their vantage point, it was one big maze.

"How much do you want to bet one of them is down there?" Yang whispered quietly. Blake did not answer, but rather searched the room visually, looking for any sign that there was anyone down there, let alone Adam or Leonberger. Her golden eyes flitted from corner to corner, the lights taking a shiny, distorted hue as her vision adjusted to the low light. Where Yang only saw pools of light here and there underneath the hanging bulbs, Blake saw everything. The metallic edges of the containers, the wet-like sheen of a polished floor...

And coat tails on a very unique suit as it turned the corner of a container, out of sight. Blake jerked forward and grasped the railing on instinct, leaning out towards empty air as she focused on the movement. A well of emotions rose up within her chest, dark and tumultuous as she wrestled with her conflicted feelings. The struggle she and Adam had waged for years, the affection she had showed him as her mentor, her closest friend...her partner. And now, the empty, gnawing hatred of vengeance threatened to swallow up everything she knew of him, corrupting every happy memory with its venomous touch.

"Blake, what is it?" Yang came to her side, a hand hovering at Blake's hip just in case the incensed Faunus decided to try and fly down upon her prey. Blake didn't respond, but her grip on the railing had turned her knuckles white with effort, and her elongated canines were bared menacingly as she looked around the lower area rapidly. Blake's pupils were dilated, and whether it was due to the darkness or the presence of their foe, Yang couldn't tell.

"It's him. He's down there." Blake uttered quietly, the whirlwind of emotions within her leaking into her voice. Yang's face fell at the betrayal in her partner's voice, and she pulled Blake back from the railing. Blake was reluctant at first, but Yang's grip was firm, and together the two came away from the balcony. Even as they stepped away, Blake's eyes never left the containers below them.

"Blake, you need to get a hold of yourself." Yang whispered quietly. "We're in this together. Because of how dark it is down there, I'm going to need you to help me. Okay?" Blake continued watching, but there was no further sign of Adam. A whisper of annoyance towards Yang for costing her the target – God, what was she thinking? - threatened to issue forth a biting retort, but Blake took a deep breath and released it. Yang was her partner, and only wanted the best for her. It wasn't fair to be mad at the blonde when things were about to get interesting.

"I'm sorry, Yang. I just...knowing that he is _right there_ , it's getting to me. I'm ready to finish this." Blake said, her eyes imploring Yang to be the loose cannon she always was, the tank that carried the fight through to whatever awaited them. And just as she knew it would, that trademark grin crossed Yang's face as her lavender eyes twinkled.

"It's alright kitty cat. Now we just have to do this our way. Let's go get this asshole." Blake nodded, and together the two rushed the railing. Metal clanked as their boots hammered the catwalk, and Blake and Yang vaulted the railing and dropped twenty feet below, landing on a metal container that protested loudly when they hit. The twin metal clanks echoed throughout the container room before slowly seceding to silence, which seemed louder than their impact. Blake and Yang waited patiently for any other sounds to answer their entrance, but the containers were silent. Blake looked at Yang in the dim light, and the blonde barely perceived that her partner was gesturing forward. Blake saw the brawler nod in perfect clarity, and they tumbled down off of the container onto the concrete floor. Their second landing was much quieter, but Blake still winced at the clack of boot on floor. Wherever Adam was down here – when she had first seen him he had been deeper in, but he had enough time to be anywhere now – he would hear their approach. Blake could move silently, but Yang was geared more towards thumping, not sneaking. If they were to press the numbers advantage, Blake was going to have to stick closely to Yang.

The sound of a racking slide reverberated off of the containers, and Blake mentally cursed that it was Adam of all people they were against. Her ears weren't capable of pinning down where the sound originated from, and Yang was just as clueless by the way she was looking around. Blake recognized the sound however; it was Blush, the shotgun sheath for Wilt, and Adam's projectile weapon. He wasn announcing himself and trying to intimidate them before the fight even began.

"I can smell you out there, Blake. I could never forget your scent. So much potential, so trusting...wasted on the likes of _them_." Like the weapon that spoke before him, Adam's voice bounced off of every flat surface and the empty air above them. Blake cut her eyes toward Yang and motioned towards the left, pushing the two deeper into the maze of containers. A wall of double stacked metal boxes met them as they slowly crept through the dimly lit maze. Blake slowly drew Gambol Shroud, separating the two out into their respective styles immediately. Adam wouldn't allow them to get a shot on him with so much cover around. It wasn't his style.

"That's a little creepy, dude. Talking about smelling people and what not." Yang fired back, earning a flattened bow and a scowl from Blake. Every time one of them piped off, their position was given away! Yang shrugged innocently, and together the two kept their ears out for the reply as they rounded the next corner. Before them, a wall of double stacked containers kept the left side off limits. In the center however, two long lines of single containers created a trio of hallways. Then on the right, another path through the crates ran deeper into the maze. To Blake, it looked like a good place for an ambush.

"I don't have anything to say to you, human. This is between me and my Blake. You'll have to sit this one out." My Blake? The undertone of irritation in Adam's voice did little to match the growl that came from Yang. Far be it from Yang to fight Blake's battles, but the thought of a scumbag like Adam laying claim to her partner set Yang's blood boiling. Blake remained silent, her ears on alert for any approaching footsteps. This time Adam's voice had been louder, and he was definitely getting closer. Realization dawned on her as Blake looked back toward Yang just in time to clamp a hand over some loud retort. Her words muffled by Blake's fingers, Yang glared angrily at her partner, her lilac eyes flashing crimson red as her Semblance reacted to her temper.

"Yang, we have to be quiet. He's trying to get you to give away our position." Blake whispered. In the time they had been creeping, they had made it almost halfway down the 'hallway' presented by the containers. To their right, a meter wide space between crates hung in darkness, providing a path in between the walls of metal. Blake's back was to the small gap, but Yang's red eyes widened as she gazed into its inky shadow. A flash of four blood red eyes reminiscent of Grimm appeared, and Yang could barely shove Blake to one side before she was forced to dive toward the other. A rush of air and quick footsteps was all the context the had as she dove, rolling to her knees in time to see Adam standing where the two had crouched, Wilt returning to Blush from a missed slash. Blake regained her footing as well, holding Gambol out to her side and Shroud level to the ground. The partners stared down their quarry silently, and he turned to face Blake. Adam's visible mouth and chin curled into a mocking smile.

"There you are, my precious kitten. I'm flattered that you came all the way down here to find me." His tone matched his expression, oozing smugness and fake gratitude. Blake's teeth flashed in the dim light again as she snarled, and she took a more forward stance.

"Enough with the love struck fool act, Adam. I know what you did." Blake's responses was cold, dismissive, and unforgiving. Adam retained his amused demeanor, even despite her casual disregard for his words. From his apathy, it was clear that he hadn't caught on to what she had meant.

"Oh? Tell me, Blake. What is it that I have done that's gotten you so bothered? You'll have to be specific; I've done a lot of things to further our cause." Behind him, Yang stood at the ready should the White Fang leader decide to try something. Yet it seemed that he was content to keep things entirely between himself and Blake. If it weren't for the emotional roller coaster Blake was on, Yang would have been on fire already. But now she was the more level headed member of the duo. Not wanting things to progress any further and weaken Blake's careful, methodical style, Yang pushed the fight.

The blonde came in low, throwing a kick toward Adam's instep to knock him off balance and cripple him. Unfortunately, the red haired man heard her approached and turned his head, his peripheral vision affording him plenty of time to raise his leg and swat at her with his sheathed sword carried in his hand. Yang blocked the strike and offered a few of her own, and Adam was forced to face her as he bent and dodged to avoid her heavy blows. Blake picked up as well and charged from the opposite side, bringing both blades forward into a crosscut. Adam placed his free hand on Wilt's grip and slashed at Yang while freeing the blade from its home. The brawler caught the slash on both gauntlets, holding them up in front of her face and skidding back from the force of his blow. With Wilt now free, Adam swung the blade around weightlessly and came down diagonally on Gambol and Shroud, pushing both down with the strength of his strike. Blake glared daggers into the masked man's eyes, and his smile actually receded for a moment.

"You took my parents from me." Her whisper was quiet, savage, the warning growl of a tiger before it strikes. Adam's grin receded at that, replacing itself with a more stoic expression. He and Blake separated with a flurry of sparks, and Yang renewed her assault as well. Adam blocked, jabbed, and kicked between the two as they alternated their attacks, Blake going low as Yang went high, both going high, both going low. A swipe from Blake was mirrored by a heavy handed punch from Yang. Adam blocked and dodged for a time, but standing between the two proved to be a tactical disadvantage. Adam swung Wilt into Blake's cross guard and followed forward with his blow, wrapping his arm around her neck and spinning behind her. Yang held off from her next strike, a punch floating in the air as Adam danced around Blake and used her as a shield for a moment. Blake brought Shroud around in a reverse grip to run it into Adam's gut, but Blush pressed into her wrist before blade met flesh. Adam held her there for a moment, his breath ghosting across her ears as they froze, none of them wanting to move to spark the next dance.

"I did what needed to be done. Your parents were martyrs to the cause." Adam sneered into Blake's ear. If there was anything to say to diffuse the situation – not that peace was anywhere on Adam's itinerary – that was the last thing on the list to say. Blake's eyes widened in a frenzy and she gritted her teeth. Adam's grip on her arm and neck became tenuous as she increased her struggles, and made it difficult for Adam to keep her between himself and Yang as the brawler slowly skirted toward the side.

"You bastard!" Blake snarled out, and drove her boot heel into the top of his foot as hard as she could. Adam grunted in pain and stepped back involuntarily. Yang stepped forward at the sound of Blake's boot making contact, running her fist around under Blake's free arm and driving it into Adam's side. The combination allowed Yang to pull Blake away from Adam's clutches as he recoiled. The partners regained their footing and rounded on Adam as he touched his side gingerly, his face now bearing a far more feral expression.

"You never did understand what we're trying to do, Blake. I thought you cared about the White Fang. I thought you cared about me." He affected the wounded tone, but there was nothing but fury in his eyes. Yang stepped forward and pointed an accusing finger his way, Blake too incensed to respond.

"Getting rid of you will be the best thing she could ever do with the White Fang. Having them attack their peers and humans is just going to widen the void between Faunus and humans. You don't want equality, you want supremacy!" Blake nodded her assent as well, and Adam shook his head in irritation.

"Shut your mouth. This is between Blake and me. And to belabor that fact," Adam said with a savage grin. Blush's barrel pointed upward, and three shots rang out before Yang and Blake separated, finding a container apiece to hide behind. But Adam's blasts weren't directed at the partners; the lights flickered and went out completely as Adam shot out three fixtures above them, raining down glass and chunks of plastic as the cheap lighting came apart. Once the sparks and glass stopped falling, Blake peered around the corner with Gambol's pistol ready. Unfortunately, Adam had vanished. Across from her, Yang was looking around in near total darkness, though the her blonde hair and red eyes exuded a faint aura of light in a fifteen foot radius. To Yang, she was a torch surrounded by darkness. To Blake, she was a flashlight in the night, and quite the target for a stalker like Adam.

"Yang, either flare your aura or kill it! You stick out like a lightning bug!" Blake hissed, trying to find Adam again in the dark. She could hear footsteps faintly, but the shipping containers made locating the origin of his steps impossible. She and Adam had stalked people in the dark like this before; Schnee company executives, corrupt law makers with anti-Faunus motivations, dirty cops targeting Faunus citizens. They had all gone down to the duo. Now, Blake found herself and her partner on the other end of the stalking. It was a chilling feeling, and the hair on Blake's neck stood on edge. Across from her, the light flared brighter as Yang concentrated, and her hair ignited like golden flame. Now, Yang had some decent sight range. Normally the flare would drawn attention to Yang, but Blake had no illusions about who they were up against: Adam knew exactly where they were.

Yang stepped out into the open to allow her light to seep into area, giving her roughly twenty feet of clear vision. Beyond that, shadows danced at the edge of her vision in a deceitful twist and twirl, as if she were a campfire in the woods. But the monster in this story was unquestionably real.

On cue, Adam darted from above, where he had been standing on top of one of the containers. Yang got Ember Celica up in time to block a myriad of slashes, blocking her face then her legs then her midsections as her feet danced around, keeping Adam from pushing her into a corner where he could rain blows upon her until she messed up. Adam shifted with her, his red blade flashing in the light given off by her Semblance as he continued to slash and stab at her. Despite her experience over Ruby, it was everything Yang could do to put _something_ between that wicked sword and her flesh. Adam stabbed toward her shoulder and went too high, her armored gauntlet pushing it upward as she stepped in to rearrange his face. Adam turned with the blow to reduce the impact, but she still heard that stupid mask of his crack from the force of her punch. Ember Celica fired as well, detonating and sending the two flying apart from each other. As his blade drew back from her, however, Wilt's sharp edge drew its way past her cheek.

"Gah!" She could contain the cry of pain as left side of her face went ice cold, then flared hotter than her own flames as blood gushed from the wound. Yang brought up a hand to stem the bleeding, hissing in pain as the facial wound bled profusely through her fingers. In reaction to her pain, Yang's aura flared even more, illuminating the shipping containers around her like a miniature sun. She looked around, straining to see past her raised gauntlet, but Adam was nowhere to be found. Off to the side, she could hear blades clashing, and Blake grunting with effort. The bastard had slashed her, then gone after Blake to push the advantage!

On the other side of the iron wall, Blake and Adam slashed and hacked at each other with brutal abandon, each of them accruing small cuts and scrapes as the swords flashed in a deadly dance. Their auras were strong, but Wilt and Gambol were designed to pierce the protective manifestation of the soul. If one of them took a point or a nasty slash, things would get very permanent, very quickly. Blake feinted right and drew Adam into a stab, then wrapped her arm around his extended elbow to trap the blade. Stepping close, she slammed the hilt of Gambol into his face where Yang had already cracked the mask. The blow snapped his head back, and she released her hold on him to deliver a kick to his sternum as well. Before she could follow through, however, Wilt came around in a stronger grip than she anticipated and trapped Shroud between the ground and her torqued wrist. Blake released the sheath blade and spun away from him, suddenly on the defensive as Adam pressed the attack.

Shroud was her defensive edge, thicker and more easily gripped for blocking and diverting blows. Gambol was her piercing weapon and her gun, the thin retracting blade not as sturdy as its parent sheath. As such, Blake was forced to roll and sidestep the next two slashes, dramatically changing positions and wasting precious stamina to avoid damaging her remaining weapon. As Adam stepped forward, she retaliated with a few swings of her own, but he batted them away with that arrogant smirk on his face. In their time together, she had always thought he had been confident, so sure of himself through every mission, no matter how difficult. Now, all she could see was the cruel smirk on his face, illuminated in the darkness by Yang's Semblance and her own night vision.

Behind Adam, Yang turned the corner from the cut through in between containers and scooped up Shroud, the grip of the weapon difficult with her gauntlets deployed. The shifting light caused Adam to pause, allowing Blake to create some much needed space between herself and the White Fang leader. Adam turned his head to keep Yang in his peripheral vision, though he still bladed his body towards Blake. The cat Faunus was breathing hard, the exertion from dodging his blows as well as the fatigue and lack of sleep starting to get to her. Twelve hours ago, they had started their mission to find Adam and Leonberger, fighting in the Dust shop and locating the Lagoon Company. As she stared down her previous partner, the trembling in her limbs came from her exhaustion, not her fear. Across from her, Yang showed no signs of slowing down, burning up the darkness with all the rage of a forest fire. Her crimson eyes were locked onto Adam with lethal intensity, almost ignoring Blake as her Semblance played hell with her temper.

"You've got to choose, Blake. Me, or her. That's what this all comes down to." Adam said sinisterly, sheathing Wilt into Blush as he prepared for the finale. They were tired, he had taken a few hits; the last steps to this dance were approaching. He stepped to Blake's right, keeping a watchful eye on both of them as he observed their movements. Blake knew that if she could get Shroud back from Yang, together stood enough of a chance to take him down. The prospect of bringing everything the White Fang had done – everything _he_ had done – to justice and save the ones led on by his machination gave Blake strength. And given the choice Adam asked her to make, it didn't take her any consideration at all.

"Her. Every time. Because she sees me for who I am. To you, we're all just monsters." Blake said with conviction, causing Adam to pause. Hoping that this was the opportunity they were looking for, Blake held out a hand and called out, "Yang! Now!"

Shroud was hurtling through the air before she even finished her request, the gunmetal gray sheath rolling through the air like a fan blade. The way it looked, flying towards her from her partner that was wreathed in flame, struck a chord in Blake as she tracked the grip of the weapon. To see Yang, at full power with her hand extended, reminded her of just what the blonde was; a helping hand, always extended without request or promise of recompense. It was the easiest choice she'd ever made. Adam was the monster. Yang was the one to make her realize that she _wasn't_ a monster.

"Very well." Wilt intercepted Shroud in mid flight, a quick blow embedding the blade into the container across from Adam as he swatted it from the air. In the same movement, he turned and faced Blake as everything red glowed upon him; his hair, the rose on his jacket, those slitted eyes of his broken mask. Blake recognized Wilt's deadly cut even as he charged it, and there was nothing substantial enough to cover her from it. When had he absorbed energy? They hadn't fired anything at him the entire fight! And suddenly, the exchange between Yang and Adam made sense. When he had allowed her to punch him, Wilt had drawn enough energy from her Semblance to charge. And here it was, oblivion aimed at her, and she couldn't stop it.

Yang didn't recognize from experience the stance or glow that Adam took, but she had listened to Blake's stories enough to recognize it. This was the technique that Adam had used to slaughter foes twice, three times his size or caliber. This was not something Blake could just shake off or use her Semblance to dodge. She had to stop it – she had to stop him.

Yang was on him in two steps, just as he drew Wilt from Blush. The blade danced across the air in front of him, clearing the sheath before she could ever expect him to. However, something was wrong; that line of obliteration, where everything in his path parted as if it had been cut by God himself, was nowhere to be seen, and Blake was perfectly fine. The blade continued out to his right as she leveled her fist for a debilitating kidney shot. She didn't see the sword flip around in his grip to a reverse hold. She sure as hell didn't see the victorious smirk that crossed his face. All Yang could see was the look of horror on Blake's face as Adam drove the blade into her chest. To Yang's surprise, there was no pain; as she looked down in detached wonder, the only context her body was giving her that she had been stabbed was this odd pressure in between her lungs. All three froze; Adam with Wilt embedded hilt deep in Yang's chest, Yang staring at the blade that pierced her disbelievingly, and Blake watching on helplessly as her partner took a grave injury from the man she had once cared so much for. Together they were frozen, until everything moved at once.

"YANG!" Blake's shrill cry was matched by the choked gurgle as blood spewed from the blonde's lips, and the painful scrape of metal on bone as Adam drew his weapon from Yang's body. The brawler tumbled forward on limb legs, all of her strength gone as she struggled to keep the blood inside. One hand went out to slow her fall, the other clutched the gaping wound that Adam had opened up just below her collarbone, dead center in the middle of her chest. The pain seemed far away, her nerves firing but not receiving the messages as she choked on her own fluids. Adam swung his blade once, spattering a nearby container with Yang's blood as he slowly returned Wilt to its sheath. Blake finally snapped out of her paralyzed state and ran over to her partner, rolling the blond over to rest in her lap as tears began to form in her eyes. Adam looked down at her dispassionately, with all the cold judgment of an executioner.

"You made your choice. Now you can watch her die." He said with an air of finality. As Blake began to press down on Yang's wound in a desperate attempt to keep her alive, Adam turned and slowly walked into the darkness, disappearing into shadow as Blake's pleadings filled the dark.

"No, Yang. Don't go, I need you! We all need you! You're gonna be okay, we'll get you fixed up." Blake babbled, her eyes running over the grievous wound even as her leggings were stained from Yang's blood. Yang coughed up more and winced as it dribbled down her cheek. Blake hurriedly wiped it away, flinching as Yang's vibrant aura weakened and the light dimmed with every passing second. Her partner locked eyes with her – those fading, lilac pools – as Blake looked around frantically. Where was Horst? Ruby, Weiss, hell she'd have taken fucking Cardin for all she cared. Just someone that would help!

"Professor! Ruby! ANYONE?!" She shouted, and her only response were her own desperate cries reverberating across the containers and through the empty air. It was all her fault. Yang had followed her, chasing after the man that had killed her parents and ruined the very people Blake had fought so hard to save. Now, here she was, lying in a pool of her own blood. All because of Blake. With nothing else to do, Blake began to rock Yang's head gently, muttering 'I'm sorry' over and over again as the dark closed in. The tears began to fall in full force now as Blake sobbed, clutching Yang to herself as tightly as she could as her tears fell to Yang's jacket, mingling with the dark bloodstains that ruined the brown cloth. As Blake held Yang close to her, cradling her head gently as the light faded, the heat having abated entirely. Yang's life was slowly draining from her, and the comfortable aura, the reassuring heat that had always permeated everything they did left with it. Blake gasped as a weak hand reached up and grasped her chin, her eyes widening in shock as Yang used the last of her strength to wipe a tear away with her thumb. Yang's mouth quirked upward in some horrid mockery of a smile, but it was a smile from Yang nonetheless. Her hand shakily reached up past Blake's cheek and grasped the ribbon that hid her ears from view.

"Don't cry...Blake." A raspy request, choked past the slowing bleed in her chest, was all Yang could manage to say. Her hand clung to the ribbon long enough to pull it free, then fell limp next her face. Then the light went out, and Blake wept alone in the cold dark.

* * *

I'm sorry. It had to be done. There can be no going back.


	16. Chapter 16

And the world wept for Yang. Don't worry. She's only the first.

* * *

 **Chapter 16**

* * *

Cayde and Holiday stepped back to observe their work, almost complete as time grew short. While the Gateway system was still largely 'in the works', Cayde had done what he usually did and went ahead without permission anyway. Holiday got to play with new technology and test her limits, so as long as things worked out both of them were happy. Unfortunately, because the Hunter was going behind the backs of his fellow Vanguard – AGAIN – this little project required that he and Holiday construct the Gateway in secret. Which was why they stood in a bought out warehouse near the center of the Last City.

The warehouse itself was a dust shop even before Cayde purchased it from the local authorities. A Guardian, let alone one of the Vanguard, waving around Glimmer like he's made of the stuff tended to get things done. That, and the lack of residential areas in its vicinity made it an ideal place for their experiment just in case the Vex managed to break Holiday's protective firmware. Using Gate Lord eyes made things touchy, but with the Black Garden and the Vault both out of commission, now was the best time to exploit their technology. The original Gateway system had not been completed, as the Darkness had descended upon humanity before the miracle minds of Clovis Bray and his kin could finish fine tuning the system. In a twist of some irony, the solution had been one of the forces that bore down on humanity: the Vex. Even as Holiday connected one of the Gate Lord eyes to the ramshackle Gateway he and the shipwright had erected, Cayde marveled at the delicious irony that one of the monsters that had sought to snuff out the Light had just given the Traveler's followers a leg up for once. With the use of the Gate Lord eyes and the collapse of the Vex conflux, Holiday was (at least as Cayde understood it) slaving a part of the Vex's galaxy wide network to create her own. Firewalls and safeguards were established to prevent Vex constructs from entering through their Gateway, but building it away from the populace was another attempt to safeguard the City from their risky gamble.

Before him, the nicest looking Gateway Cayde had ever seen took shape. Which wasn't saying much, since he'd only seen two. The other one had been under construction in the ruins of the Ishtar Collective on Venus, and the main reason behind this mad scheme. Standing nearly fifteen feet high, a massive stone ring stood before him, with a ramp on either side that led into the unknown whenever the portal would activate. Fortunately, the circular architecture had been accentuated by Holiday's critical eye. Several runes danced across the upper curve of the thick Gateway, set in a stone-like material that gave off the impression that this freshly constructed portal was very old. A sliding channel sat at the top, open to cycle through the symbols like a combination lock, and Holiday had said that was part of the communication between Gateways. And if there was no Gateway on the other side, Holiday estimated to be lucky enough to hit the same planet. Win win, in any case.

While the blonde shipwright worked to connect the Gateway to a power source that didn't directly lead to the Traveler, Cayde was devoting the entirety of his efforts into providing moral support and keeping the special box in his hands closed. Since he had found the special container to hold Ghosts, the Speaker had managed to purify two more of the precious little Light constructs. Unless the Guardian that was going to claim them did the purifying, the Speaker was the only one that could cleanse the Ghosts of Oryx's magic without binding them to himself. Because of the Speaker's efforts, what had been a tight squeeze became a constant fight as Cayde struggled to keep the Ghosts contained. It wouldn't help Remnant if he were to let the little bastards loose on Earth.

"You know, since they never finished it, cane we name this thing? I mean, we're borrowing from Bray's work and all that, but I say it's not done until it's done. I'm thinking Stargate." Cayde said, leaning back to look up at the Gateway. As if in response, the box in his grasp kicked around again, forcing the Hunter to stoop over in order to keep the box closed. In response to his quip, Holiday stopped whatever she was doing underneath the floor panel and leveled a deadpan stare at the Hunter Vanguard. Cayde offered a sheepish grin, and she returned to her work with an upward twitch of her lip.

"Wasn't there some pre-Golden movie or television series with that name?" She asked from her hovel beneath the floor. Holiday had removed two metal floor panels – which seemed to cover every building within the Inner City – and was delving into the support systems that ran beneath the City. Several large power sources provided energy to the many homes and foundries within the City, some leading directly from the Traveler even as others stood independent of the broken god that hung over the last safe City. In an effort to prevent total annihilation of the Light, Holiday elected to run the power source of this experimental network toward something not representative of mankind's last hope. The weapon factory operated by New Monarchy would do just as well.

"I don't know. Probably?" Cayde was not being particularly helpful, but there were only so many inexperienced fingers you could put into a time and space manipulation screen before something really bad happened. Holding a fighting box was the extent of his helpful ability. Outside, the distant howl of a siren indicated that the civilian side of life on Earth was still dangerous, and Cayde walked over toward one of the broken windows that allowed broken light into the building, casting golden rays all over the floor near him. Even as his box continued to struggle, Cayde was able to watch a pair of ambulances – hovering cargo boxes with sirens, basically – dash across the street from the warehouse district, off to fix some problem and save lives in a way that Cayde could never do. Medical attention was a moot point when you resurrected from death. Cayde watched even as the press of large buildings hid the ambulances from view, listening intently as they carried off into the distance. When he could no longer hear the blaring sirens, the Hunter turned back around with a smile on his face.

"You know, I feel like today is going to be a good day."

* * *

"Yang...I'm sorry. I'm so, so sorry..." A sob in the darkness, as a pair slowly bled away into a single lone soul.

* * *

"Yeah, definitely a good day." He nodded to himself in affirmation, while clinking tools and sparks of energy were Holiday's only response. A faint hum filled the room as the power was fully connected, and the glyphs on the stone ring glowed bright blue as the energy coursed through the Gateway. Holiday sat up from her place beneath the floor and wiped her brow, a smear of dirt stretching across her forehead as she stood up and stretched from her extended time beneath the panels.

"We'll have to watch the power draw. Executor Hideo will hear about it if we suck too much juice from the foundry." She cautioned, and the faint nod that Cayde gave confirmed that he did not care in the slightest. If it weren't for the amazing opportunities to work on experimental technology, Holiday would really hate working with the Hunter Vanguard. He was so carefree in the face of safety measures and other things she found necessary, though that was likely a product of living on the edge for so long. As it stood, Holiday realized from the start that her relationship with Cayde was entirely based on him playing with new toys and bringing her along to get the best outcome. And she was fine with that.

"Well, if this works he can bill me. Or Zavala. I'm not in charge of expenditures anymore." Cayde muttered the last part off to the side, but Holiday grinned as she heard it regardless. Replacing the floor panels where she had been working, Holiday wrapped her tools into the rolled belt she kept them in and scooped it up, stashing it into her pocket as she stood next to Cayde and looked up at the masterpiece.

"You ready to do this?" She asked, and Cayde responded by tossing the fighting box of Ghosts into Holiday's unsuspecting gut, causing the shipwright to grunt as she struggled to catch and control the struggling container as Cayde strode up toward the great ring before him. Normally, controlling something as complicated as a Gateway to cross space and time would require a battery of consoles and a full staff to make sure the thing didn't collapse into a black hole. As it stood, the Ghost that appeared next to him would do just fine.

"Wager, dial up our friends from far away. I think it's time we contributed to this fight." Cayde said as he took the box back from Holiday, lurching forward a bit as the Ghost within pushed away from the blonde. As his Ghost – a completely round, golden ball with a red eye – cast its Light upon the Gateway, Cayde could faintly hear cursing from within the box. One of the Ghosts had manifested its personality, and the guy had a mouth on him from the sound of it.

"I really pity the Guardian that gets that one." Cayde muttered, even as he felt so much as heard the rush of power as Wager activated the Gateway. The glyphs across the arch of the ring began to glow much brighter, and the selector began to rotate around the arch as it selected certain glyphs. Wager cut off his Light and flew back towards the two Guardians, hovering expectantly near Cayde as he continued to wrestle with the white container. Man, those little guys were getting angry.

"Without a destination Gateway, the best I could do is target the greatest source of Light and hope for the best." Wager advised, his voice smooth and calm as if he were discussing racing over tea, and not the transfer of matter across thousands of light years in an instant. With his simple shell and his calm, English tone, Wager seemed the perfect counterweight to Cayde's carefree approach to life. That, and perhaps the only one that Cayde listened to.

"So, aim it at Horst and pray it works. Just like that Icebreaker I found. Alright, fire it up Wager." Holiday hid a smirk as she thumbed her nose, hoping against hope that her calculation would be correct. Her work with the weapons manufacturer Tex Mechanica made as well as her day job as a shipwright and star ship mechanic made her the number one tech savvy in the City. Unfortunately, dealing with the Vex and plucking the strings of their transportation grids were two very different things.

The ring pulsed with energy, sending out barely visible waves from its center, not unlike the rifts and ruptures the Taken had been pouring out of these past few months. Instead of the sickly green aura left behind by Oryx's minions, the waves of energy that flowed from the Gateway's core were light blue, almost white in some accretions as the energy pulsed outward, seeking to expand and fill the ring that they had constructed. Within seconds, a blue, watery wall of _something_ took its place in the ring, hiding the other side of the construct from view. All around them, the hanging shrouded bulbs flickered and dimmed as the Gateway drank deep of the City's power grid. As the power continued to fluctuate, Holiday cringed at the thought of explaining this leap of faith to Zavala if it didn't work. Cayde claiming all culpability and he being the only one held responsible were two very different things.

As if heeding its creator's prayers, the Gate finally stabilize, the pool of blue water before them sharpening into an actual image before them. Within the Gateway, they could see Horst, his fist cocked back as he grasped some masked person by the throat and ready to send him flying. Cayde had witnessed first hand the result of a punch from Horst; whomever the person was in his grasp, there was a world of hurt coming in mere seconds. Strangely enough, as clear as the picture was of a scene taking place light years away, it was frozen in place. Cayde walked up and approached the Gateway, staring as if someone had pressed the universal pause button on Horst mid fight.

"Uh, Wager, Holiday? Care to explain?" Cayde was a little lost here, staring at one of the most well known living Titans frozen in mid combat like he was watching a really big, circular display instead of a portal to another star system. Holiday shrugged, her lips pursed in confusion as her practical mind struggled to comprehend the abstract concepts of interstellar travel. She was used to warp drives and sub light engines, not magical stone doorways into another place and time. That was for the aliens. Thankfully, Wager seemed willing to attempt an explanation.

"Time is relative. This event could have taken place a week ago by our time, or it won't happen for another month. However, the only way to be certain is to pass through and return. Without another Gate operating, we could be looking at a shift as far as millennia. It would be best to-" Wager stopped abruptly as the scene wavered and then changed, this time instead showing a room bathed in shadow. From their vantage point, two bodies lay crumpled on the ground, one huddled around the other. The scene remained fixed, but Cayde could see the teardrop glistening as it fell from a pale cheek, barely lit by the light above. Despite the inky blackness that swallowed the scene, the matted blonde hair and flowing raven mane reminded Cayde of two of Horst's students. If the Gateway homed in on Horst by his Light, these could very well be the same. But one of them was...hurt? Killed? From this vantage point, Cayde couldn't say.

"That looks like a place that needs a Ghost or seven." Cayde said with a smirk. "So, do I just throw it in? How does this work?" Wager rolled in the air, the only indicator of his movement his crimson eye spinning in place.

"You've seen the Vex teleport in. Your guess is as good as mine." Wager said softly. The scene before them remained transfixed on the Gateway, and the Ghosts in the box fought harder than ever. Cayde had lived his entire life by seeing the subtle hints in the universe; a cough from a Fallen Dreg signaling the start of an ambush, a strong wind hinting at a trap lying ahead. No context in these feelings, just an urge to do _something_. The struggling Light constructs in his grasp told him that this was another one of those times.

"Alright, here's nothing!" Cayde said, and pushed the box outward with both hands, a shove that guaranteed the struggling Ghosts would reach their destination. Just before the box reached the Gateway, it burst open in a blinding flash of Light, and seven streaking orbs dove into the Gateway with unbridled energy, almost a fury or eagerness in their movements. As soon as the shattered box clattered to the ground, the Ghosts disappeared into the scene before them as if diving into a deep lake, the surface of the image rippling with their passing. Cayde and Holiday stood transfixed for a moment, and then the image disappeared again. Only this time, the watery medium that was the Gateway's passage collapsed in on itself, draining toward the center before winking out of existence. As soon as the portal closed, every glyph on the Gateway faded to black. A few seconds later, so did every light in the warehouse.

"Oh yeah. Definitely calling it a Stargate."

* * *

Horst turned the corner just as Yang and Blake dashed off to the other side. Hopefully, they'd find Leonberger or some clue about his whereabouts. Horst didn't know Adam's skills, but he preferred to face the White Fang leader than his students. Not that he was doubtful of Blake and Yang's abilities, but because Horst would rather face the biggest threat. It was in his nature as both a Guardian and a Titan; face the toughest challenge, so that his teammates had a better chance of survival. Failure was not an option.

Horst rounded another corner and found himself staring down a long hallway, this one clearly marked by blue and black lines on the floor. The lines ran along the concrete walls as well, and a T in the hallway had a color leading in either direction. The black line went left, and was labeled Administration. The blue went right, and was marked for Processing. While the hardened defenses and shipping capabilities indicated an old war bunker, the term Processing concerned him. Still, information was likely to be found in Administration, so Horst went left...

And ran smack into the clenched fist of a White Fang lieutenant. The blow bounced off of Horst's face plate and startled him backwards, though his hands came up out of reflex. A few steps back, and the Titan was ready to rumble. And a good thing he was, too, because the muscled lieutenant – padded white vest, gray reinforced leggings with the same face mask with slitted eyes as the one from Rosarita's shop – was joined by two others incredibly similar to him. In fact, the only thing that seemed to be different about them were the intricate tattoos dancing across their right shoulders. The one that had hit him wore a black design of swarming locusts, angry black insects that crawled from bicep to chest. The other two bore tattoos of clashing swords and cannons on one, the other of skeletons clutching their bony fingers toward the sky. Their immense build and obvious strength had likely earned their standing in the White Fang, but even body builders would have struggled for the muscle mass this trio sported. A suspicion floated in Horst's head, and their overly muscled necks sealed the deal. Horse Faunus.

"I am thinking you are lost, _zalupa_." The lead lieutenant said tauntingly. _Holy shit, it's Rasputin's progeny._ His two flanking brothers said nothing, but Horst knew that the three of them were used to fighting beside each other. The way they spaced out just far enough to allow for movement, and their stances they took even with Horst far away from them, bespoke of a camaraderie that Horst would not break with shock and awe tactics. These guys were playing for keeps.

"Unfortunately, I'm right where I need to be. You lads might want to make yourselves scarce. Hospital bills in Vale are just criminal these days." Horst returned the taunt, but they just cracked their knuckles. Judging from how they shifted their weight, the three were ready to rush him as soon as his hand climbed upward to draw his sword, or dropped to pull his sidearm. This was gonna be a knuckle match, either way. Still, the presence of three of Taurus' top flunkies was a good sign. Now he had to take care of business.

"So are funeral services." The lead Faunus replied, and silence settled over the four. The three stood as one, ready for Horst to make a move to initiate the attack. Horst on the other hand was hesitant to make a move, as three opponents meant facing one would open him up for a flank from the other two. It wasn't an ideal situation, but he'd been in far worse and survived.

Horst stomped his forward foot, kicking the fight off as all three started and rushed him. The first one up, War, kicked out toward Horst's lead foot and tried a straight punch after the Titan's guard was lowered. Unfortunately, Horst's knee came up to catch the kick and he pushed the punch upward. Horst slid forward to elbow the Faunus in the ribs, then followed through with a hip toss in time to drive a side kick into Death's chest, sending the second horse Faunus rolling backward while the first thumped into the ground behind Horst. Famine approached more cautiously than his brothers, and exchanged a few jabs with Horst as the two got a feel for each other's reach. Horst had slightly more reach than the lieutenant, but he actually might have met his match in strength as the two went from a few light jabs to full contact blows. The two planted their feet and stood their ground, hammering each other in the ribs, head, stomach; the target didn't matter so much as how hard the next blow was going to be. In the end, the Titan proved the more hardy, as Famine's last punch faltered from a nasty uppercut that made him look at the ceiling. The Faunus stumbled back, giving Horst a few moments to breath, then came right back in for more.

Horst raised a forearm and brought it downward just as the next punch carried through, pushing Famine down away from him. A vicious knee rose up to the Faunus' mask, and Horst carried through with it hard enough to pick Famine up off the ground and into the air. The Titan continued the rotation and kicked his opponent hard in the gut. The combo sent Famine bouncing down the hallway toward Administration, and judging from the flying papers and sound of crashing furniture, he had clearly found a desk somewhere. Horst would have stopped to revel in his victory, were it not for War and Death to be pressing the attack. The two brothers came in from opposite angles, War sliding in to deliver a kick to the back of Horst's knee. Just as the Titan buckled, Death swooped in from the other side and rocked Horst with a nasty downward punch to the face. Horst spun away from the two, catching a kick to the ribs as he struggled to regain his senses. Once he shook his head to clear the confusion, the Titan planted his feet and thrust his shoulder into the charging Death, the Faunus' useless arms flailing on either side of Horst as the Titan drove his shoulder deep into Death's gut. The lieutenant sank to his knees, coughing violently, but Horst couldn't finish him off for the reappearance of Famine. The newly arrived Faunus hooked his arms up underneath Horst's armpits and pulled the Titan off of his brother. With his arms wrapped up, Horst twisted and struggled to plant his feet, anything to give him leverage as his feet dragged the ground for purchase. War took the opportunity before him and started slugging Horst in the stomach, below his chest plate, as hard as possible. Horst grunted in pain as the air rushed out of him from the hard blows, but he tried to push the air from his lungs as each blow landed in an effort to minimize the force. As Death recovered enough to step forward and participate as well, Horst knew he had to do something fast.

The Titan brought both legs up and drove them into War's chest, sending the horse Faunus into the wall as his head slammed into it with a loud crack. Using the leverage from the kick, Horst brought his knees into his chest and arched upward as far as he could, then swung his legs downward. Famine struggled to keep Horst's feet off the ground, and in doing so shifted his center of gravity to where Horst not only landed squarely on his feet, but he was able to lift his hips up and take Famine's feet off the ground. With a Faunus backpack still looping its arms around his chest, Horst barreled into the other two and leaned forward, stopping suddenly to push Famine as far up his back as possible. When he felt the Faunus shift, Horst stood upward and slammed the back of his helmet into Famine's masked face as hard as he could. An audible crunch could be heard as Famine limply fell from Horst's back, and the Titan looped his arm around Famine's neck and slammed him into the wall face first again for good measure. War stood up from next to his unconscious brother Death, and faced off against Horst alone. Famine and Death both lolled on the ground, out of commission and out of the fight, something that made Horst cross his arms.

"The three of you couldn't bring me down together. What makes you think you can do it alone? Take your brothers and leave this place; this is my final offer." War shook his head immediately, not even considering the offer as he jabbed an accusatory finger at Horst.

"You have already taken one of my brothers. Pestilence was killed last night, at the shop run by that traitor Cisneros. Don't think we don't know where the rocket came from." He said scathingly, and Horst shook his head sadly. The lieutenant that had been leading the attack on Rosarita's Dust shop had been a part of these brothers. Whether it was a blood relation or how tight the four of them were, Horst neither knew nor cared. The simple fact of it was, they were a threat that could not be talked down. The three lieutenants – four if you count the deceased one – had joined the fight, and through merit of their bond alone would not cease following Adam for any reason.

"I see. Then there is only one thing left to do." Horst's tone was one of resigned guilt, and he reached behind his head to draw Chimera. "I am sorry, if it matters." War did nothing as Horst readied his weapon, the blade glinting in the artificial light as Horst held it aloft in a two handed grip, the blade pointed toward the ceiling as Horst widened his stance. The two stood opposite of each other silently, each waiting for the other to move. After a few seconds' pause, Horst stepped forward cautiously, and War came rushing at him. Horst made no great movement as the Faunus charged, and was not surprised when War ducked underneath his spinning one handed swipe. War was surprised, however, to find himself staring at the barrel of Horst's sidearm. The pistol barked twice, and War slumped to the ground with blood oozing from his broken mask. Horst stared down impassively at the last of the four brothers, then swung Chimera around and stabbed the corpse in the chest for good measure. He twisted the blade, scrambling the Faunus' vital organs, then withdrew his sword with a wet shlick. Horst turned to the other unconscious brothers, and six more shots rang from his pistol: two in the chest and one in the head for each. Once the grisly deed was done, Switch appeared at his shoulder.

"I've got bad news." The Ghost uttered quietly. Absent was his snarky tone and sardonic sense of humor. Switch only every considered dreadful news bad, and that caught Horst's immediate undivided attention.

"What's happened?" Horst's eyes adjusted as a navigation marker, a white triangle pointing downward, appeared on his HUD that the helmet displayed. Approximately sixty meters downward and to the east, the words 'Blake' and 'Yang' hovered at the marker. Blake's name was colored white, but Yang's was red.

"I've been monitoring the aura displays from the team's scrolls. Blake and Yang took some hits a few moments ago, and then Yang's dropped to zero. I think she's..." The Ghost trailed off, hanging uselessly in the air as Horst doubled back to the hallway he had come from, his feet pounding the concrete mercilessly as he ran. He had elected to bring the team, his prospective Guardians, and see how they could handle a bunch of peons and a high value target. There was always a danger in these situations, but it was a job they were training for anyway, right? As the cold dread formed a knot in his stomach, Horst couldn't even imagine how consoling that fact would be for Ruby if Yang was dead.

 _No no no, Yang. You are NOT allowed to die! I forbid it as your instructor._ Horst thought fearfully, though he knew that things were rarely so easy. He cut through the mess hall they had torn apart quickly, sliding into the hallway as he struggled to change direction. Ahead of him, the distance counted down from Switch's nav marker, and Blake's name remained next to Yang's with a full, green bar of aura. Whatever had happened, Blake wasn't leaving Yang behind. Horst's gaze burned into the depleted, black bar that represented Yang's aura. According to Goodwitch, no one on Remnant could live without some measure of aura; even civilians had minute quantities of it. For a person's aura to be completely gone, they would be dead in seconds. Not a good sign...

The metal catwalk clanked loudly as Horst walked out onto the balcony, the darkened storage room hidden from his view by smothering shadow. Switch appeared and cast his searching light around, but only shipping containers could be seen. Horst looked around for any source of light, but the glint of glass underneath the hanging light fixtures put those thoughts out of his mind. The nav marker indicated the center of the room, so Horst started towards the railing.

"Yang! Blake! Say something, either of you!" Horst barked, clearing the railing and using his Lift to glide gently down to the ground. When he landed, the Titan froze as he listened for any reply, or perhaps even the sound of combat. As the shadows floated around him, Horst could hear nothing beyond the blood pounding in his ears. He took a deep, calming breath, and listened intently. As his racing pulse faded, he could slowly make out a single soft sound in the darkness: the shaking sobs of Blake Belladonna. Horst turned toward the right and followed a path through the shipping containers, weaving this way and that while keeping an eye on the nav marker. When he made his way to a clearing in the boxes, what he saw stopped him cold.

Blake sat against a shipping container, tears streaming shamelessly down her face as she continued to cry. In her lap, muted golden locks hid Yang's eyes from view, even as Blake ran her hands through her partner's hair. Yang had always been very meticulous about her hair; only Blake and Ruby had ever survived touching it. Now, the golden strands lacked the fiery luster that always seemed to brighten the room, and there patches of it matted with dark blood. More of the life giving fluid had spilled out from where the two girls were, a three foot circle stretching outward from the two. That much blood loss was staggering, and the gaping hole in Yang's chest explained it. A swamp of blood, skin, and tube top spilled down her front, the darkness and the wash of blood saving her modesty.

Horst took in the sight before him, then walked quickly to the two, not hesitating to step into the puddle of blood that had spread from Yang's body. Switch flew over from his shoulder and scanned Yang, while Horst gently placed a hand on Blake's shoulder. Blake didn't look up or give any other indication that she recognized them, she just clutched Yang tighter and buried her face in the mound of blonde hair before her. Switch's scan washed over the brawler Blake clutched in her arms, and when it finished the Ghost shook himself side to side slowly. Horst winced within his helmet, and heaved a heavy sigh of regret as Blake continued to sob.

"I'm sorry, Blake. She's gone." Horst said quietly, rubbing his thumb on her shoulder as the Faunus continued to grieve for her partner. Blake sniffed loudly and her sobbing quietened, though she retained her hold on Yang. Switch looked down at both Horst and Blake, unsure of what to say as the two mourned the loss of their teammate. However, they still had a mission to complete, especially if Adam was the one to do this.

"Horst, I know this is bad. But we need to get moving. Adam and Leonberger could be getting further way, and there's nothing we can do for her." The Ghost said gently, and the practical part of Horst's mind agreed. The mission objective came first, but they had to give Yang her piece. The older sister had been like a mother to Ruby after Summer had died, sacrificing her own youthful time growing up by caring for her little sister. After the two had grown, she was still a kind and caring individual that Blake had latched onto like a lifeline. To leave her behind would be a disservice, not only to Yang but to everyone that cared for her.

"We're not leaving her behind. Blake, I'm going to need you to..." Horst trailed off as Blake mumbling something from within the mound of hair she had hidden herself in. "Blake...are you alright?" Horst stepped back slightly to give the girl her space, and she slowly raised her head from the sanctuary Yang's blonde locks had provided. Horst flinched when he saw her eyes: puffy, bloodshot, and golden with burning fury.

"I'm going to kill him." The certainty in her voice was tainted only by the break that came along with a choked sob. "I'm going to tear him limb from limb for taking her from me." Horst recoiled slightly from her, sliding back a bit to give the very irate Blake her space. Switch floated backward as well, giving Horst a wary look as the Faunus returned to her misery. She clutched at her partner's hair tightly, as if not letting go would somehow prolong a life already gone. As Blake's own obsidian bangs shielded her eyes from view, Horst became very much aware that the girl possessed fangs from her clenched teeth.

"Adam will pay for this...he'll pay." She muttered, repeating the mantra as if it were her new reason for living. Horst tensed slightly when she said that; now he was in a bind. Taurus was definitely still on site if the blood was any indicator, but now there was no guarantee that Blake would not break off from the group to chase him down and drain the blood from his body. Considering how Yang had been the mother hen to the other girls on the team, Horst knew that Ruby and Weiss would follow along as well. Now, he had to run damage control.

Or at least, that was the plan. The plan changed drastically, however, when a blue cloud began to permeate the area above them, angry bolts of electricity arcing through the vapor. As soon as the crackling and shooting sparks started, Horst's sidearm had cleared his thigh and was pointed upward. The cloud grew as the bolts charged in greater frequency, while Horst's mind raced in alarm. He had seen this effect many times before, in the ruins of Venus and across the deserts of Mars. But how were the Vex on Remnant?! Their network had been ransacked, heavily damaged by both the Fallen and the Guardians. The machines had nowhere near the presence or power the send units to Remnant. Nevertheless, Horst pointed his pistol in every direction, even as the cloud thickened to the point where he had difficulty locating Yang and Blake. The Titan placed his back against the container Blake had slumped against, heeping his left hand on Blake's shoulder while his right pointed the Jabberhakke toward the encroaching Darkness.

"Horst, wait! It's not the Vex coming through!" Switch cried as a bright flash, like a bolt of lightning, tore through the entire fog that had settled in front of them. "It feels like other-" Whatever else the Ghost said was lost as a loud crash filled the room, and several of the large metal boxes that surrounded them were pushed out of the way as _something_ replaced them, seven streaking somethings if Horst's eyes weren't deceiving him. As the clouds dissipated, seven streaking balls of light, each with bright trails like comets as they flew wildly around the room. Two paired up and slowed down as they approached the three warriors below, one a light blue and the other a dark purple, almost black in the low light. As the flaring light around it dimmed, the light blue spark became visible: a Ghost by its appearance and the ceramic shell it appeared comprised of. However, like Hope, this Ghost's shell was designed to look like something else – or rather, someone else. A man in light blue armor, his eye shielded behind a clear visor in a helmet. His 'body' separated between the torso, head, and arms, and his legs ended at the knee. He also was spouting curse words at no one in particular.

"-horn headed, scum sucking, box throwing son of a bitch! Who stuffs a bunch of Ghosts into a box and just throws them through a freaking portal?" His voice was that of a young man, and he clearly had a very colored opinion of someone from wherever the Ghosts had come from. While the blue armored Ghost floated and sputtered about things that had happened before they had arrived in the room, the purple and black Ghost became more visible as well. Unlike Hope and this other Ghost, this particular spark of Light had a black outer shell swirling out gently in the shape of a rose, with a purple gradient in the layers closer to the center. The eye gleamed purple as well. Whereas the blue Ghost was loud and irritated, the black Ghost was completely silent. Blake and Horst both watched the blue Ghost ramapage around the open air in front of them, his arms and legs moving as if he were pacing back and forth. While these two Ghosts floated over the three, the other five – for it was now obvious that all seven lights were Ghosts – split off and darted through the halls, seeking out other sources of Light.

"And now, I get here to meet my Guardian, and she's already freakin' dead." The blue Ghost finished his complaining, crossing his arms and shaking his tiny blue head in disappointment. The other Ghost said nothing, but rather stared curiously at Blake, the two appraising each other silently. Blake sniffed quietly and shifted, moving Yang slightly as she scooted out from underneath her fallen partner. With tender care, she gently laid Yang back on the floor, smoothing out the blonde's flowing mane that had been disturbed by her passing. When she had removed herself from behind Yang, she stared down at her partner morosely, before she finally managed to tear her eyes away from the blonde and look up at the two Ghosts.

"Well, why are you here? If you're going to do something, do it." The Faunus said bitterly, her distraught expression pleading with the blue Ghost. She had seen Summer and Switch's abilities to resurrect their Guardians, and Horst had been resurrected after hundreds of years dead. Surely, they could do the same for Yang?

The blue Ghost shrugged his shoulders and rolled them, a somewhat comical sight since it was pretty much his disembodied arms rising and falling with no real shoulders to speak of.

"There's no guarantee that we're compatible as Ghost and Guardian, or that her Light still exists. People from Remnant have evolved differently from the people of Earth, and they've gone a long time without the Traveler's Light." Blake's alarmed expression caused the Ghost to raise his hands in a placating manner. "That being said, let's give it a shot."

The Ghost floated over to Yang and held out his hand, the same familiar blue scan that all Ghosts used passing over Yang's still body. Several tense moments passed as Horst and Blake watched the Ghost, before the Light construct nodded and rolled his head.

"Alright, let's give this a shot." He said, preparing himself as he glided backward slightly. Blake's eyes widened as the Ghost dove down toward Yang, disappearing with a flash of bright light just before he ran into her chest. For a few moments nothing happened, but then to Blake's growing alarm the same shimmering cubes that indicated a transmat collected around Yang, and piece by piece she disintegrated from view. Blake crept forward, her hand outstretched, as her teammate disappeared.

"Yang!"

* * *

White.

Everything around her was white. And not like someone had simply forgotten to color the room and people around her; Yang's surroundings could only be described as an empty white void, absent of color, depth, texture, or any other descriptive trait. There was ground beneath her, as she wasn't simply floating in empty space, but when the blonde looked down she cast no shadow.

"Huh. That's weird." She mused out loud. Her words echoed faintly around her, further adding that feeling of isolation that pervaded her being. Yang looked down at her front, and noticed that the bloodstains and grievous wound had disappeared, her jacket and yellow tube top once again made whole. Yang looked around again in wonder, then started walking just to see if she could get anywhere. Before she took two full strides, her footsteps echoing in void around her, an unfamiliar voice called out.

"I don't think you're going to find an exit that way." It was a young man's voice, with a hint of humor and an undertone of sarcasm similar to the way Yang spoke whenever she teased Ruby about something. Yang spun around, but no one met her view when she turned. The blonde slowly rotated, checking her entire surroundings, but the owner of the voice could not be found. The empty void was really starting to get to her now; being someone's play thing was not on her list of things to do.

"If you're gonna talk, showing yourself can go a long way to making friends." She called out, her fists coming up in a cautionary stance as she got ready to fight. She had already taken a sword to the chest today, so there wasn't much else to be done to her. As she stood in infinite white oblivion, she didn't even really know if Yang Xiao Long was dead or alive.

"Alright, fair enough. Just keep in mind, I don't look like you." There was a resigned note in the voice, and he sounded a lot closer this time. Yang looked left and then right, but still couldn't see the speaker. She turned around, her gaze still wandering, and nearly ran into a blue... _something_. The blonde stepped back with a startled cry, before she could actually appraise the thing standing before her. Or rather, the person.

A man in blue armor, similar yet different to what Professor Horst wore, stood before her. His helmet, chest piece, shoulder pads, gauntlets, and greaves were all a light robin's egg blue. The gaps in his armor, and the suit underneath, were all black. His helmet had a mirrored visor, tinted orange and concealing the face behind it. In his hands, a sniper rifle hung in a relaxed grip with its barrel pointed toward the ground. He nodded his head toward her.

"Sup." The laid back greeting earned a quirk in Yang's serious face, and she snorted before relaxing slightly. She tilted her head as he stood motionless, and decided that he was probably waiting for her to respond.

"What's up, yourself. Who are you?" Yang looked around the white void, lilac eyes searching for any other landmark besides the blue armored man in front of her. "And where are we?"

The man held up his hands and the sniper rifle disappeared, leaving his hands free as he dusted them off.

"I don't really have a name; I lost it a long time ago when me and my partner...died. But I can do something about this place." The man waved his arm, and suddenly the scenery changed. Long brown grass tickled Yang's calves, and the faint smells of an autumn forest wafted in the breeze. Yang looked around in wonder, and suddenly they were no longer standing in the white empty void. Instead, they stood at the edge of a thick forest, the leaves a mixture of reds, oranges, and yellows as they changed for the season. In front of them, a marble headstone sat at the edge of a cliff, white with a crimson rose engraved in it. Yang's eyes widened when she realized where they were standing. It was Summer's grave, where Ruby often went to speak with their mother. Yang had frequented the site as well, but nowhere near as often Ruby did. Despite the big sister role that Yang had always played since Summer's death, Ruby still felt that special connection with her mother, and confided in the silent stone even with Yang and their father available to help. To stand on that cliff so soon after her own injury brought a chilling sensation up Yang's spine.

"This place is familiar to you, even though your sister likes it more. I'd have chosen Beacon, but the only place that sticks out is the dorm." The man uttered from beside her, an arm's length away to give a comfortable amount of space. "I knew who to pick as soon as we returned to the Light, but it's good to know that I didn't misjudge you. Light is a little vague sometimes."

Yang turned and looked at him, her brow furrowing in confusion. "What do you mean, Light? I thought Horst said that the Traveler thing was the only source of Light." The blue armor shifted in the setting sun, and the man chuckled at her words.

"Not exactly. Technically, every living creature emits faint amounts of Light. Ants, mice, birds: no matter how small or simple the creature, everything creates a little bit of Light. Every time your cells create energy, a little bit of Light comes off as a byproduct." The man in blue explained. He snapped his fingers, and suddenly two striped lawn chairs appeared in the grass. Yang and the man both took a seat, kicking their feet back as he waved his hands and continued his explanation. "The major difference is, not very many beings can _control_ the Light. It can be seen, measured, even hidden by some of the more weird things out there in deep space. But only the Guardians and now, the Hunstmen, have ever used it in combat. Well, besides the things that we fight."

"I thought that the Fallen and all those creatures served the Darkness?" Yang asked, and the man in blue shifted his head to the side in a hesitant response.

"Eh, yes but no. They serve the Darkness as it is; a prevailing entity and element that can strengthen the forces of evil and extinguish Light. However, the Fallen, the Hive, and all the other nasty things out there use Light, even if they despise it. The Fallen Captain that comes to steal the Traveler used a shield made of Arc Light. The Hive Wizard that tries to destroy or corrupt every amount of Light it can touch uses a Solar shield to protect itself from harm." Yang stretched in her chair, yawning at the comfortable vista before her.

"But I thought you said only Guardians and Hunstmen can wield Light?" She asked, watching as Ember Celica reflected the autumn rays.

"The Light the minions of Darkness use is corrupted, consumed and turned against us. However, our Light can sustain itself if need be, much like how the Huntsmen have used it for years. Your aura always rejuvenates itself, right? Well, those of the Darkness must steal more Light in order to reinforce their magics and barriers. They're thieving assholes, and any time our Light touches theirs, it burns the corrupted stuff away. That's why Light damge against an element of the same nature does so much more; it is getting beaten by a more pure energy."

Yang nodded absently, slowly losing interest in this history lesson. Instead, she sat back and watched the sun creep lower on the horizon, as the shadows grew longer and the forest behind them grew darker. The blue man seemed to notice this, and stood up from his chair. He walked over to her, grass rustling quietly as he stepped, and stopped in front of her with his arms crossed.

"I didn't bring you here to bore you with a lecture; that's Horst's job. I brought you to see if you're Guardian material." He offered a hand. "I've seen your life, Yang. You've spent every second out there living it up, protecting your sister, and getting into whatever trouble comes your way. From what I can see, you're a lot like Horst: willing to tackle the biggest challenge so your friends are a little safer. I admire that."

Yang grabbed his hand and let the man pull her up, somewhat surprised at how effortlessly he did so. She squeezed his hand slightly before releasing it, crossing her own arms as well.

"So what happens if I accept? I know Ruby is already a Guardian, but what about the others? What about Blake?" Yang almost whispered the last part, but it escaped all the same. The blue man chuckled and shook his head.

"Quite a bit happened after you died. Blake nearly attacked Horst, and myself and a few Ghosts got thrown here through a teleporter by one dick of a Vanguard you will probably meet. Right now, Blake's making the same choice you are. And if how she acted after you died is anything to go off of, she'll follow you anywhere." He turned around and walked back toward the cliff, standed a respectful distance to the side from Summer's gravestone. "I can't make you accept, but I can't resurrect a non Guardian either. It's a tough road, one that usually ends with you screaming and dying, never to resurrect again. But I can guarantee that the ones you are protecting, and your comrades in arms, will always have your back. And it definitely won't be boring."

Yang stepped forward to join him, but she hesitated. The area around her was so peaceful. The blue guy had confirmed that she was dead; her troubles were over. No more homework, no more Grimm, nothing else to drag her down or cause her distress. Would it really be so bad to remain there? Surely the others would understand...

Then a single thought ran through Yang's mind: a smiling Blake, holding a book in one hand and looking back at her with those golden eyes glittering with mirth. Her bow undone, a brief and rare moment with her ears out and on display. All for Yang. If Blake was making the same choice Yang was, then there was no choice. She had to be there for Ruby, for Weiss. And especially for Blake.

"Alright. How do I sign on?" She asked, cracking her knuckles with a ferocious grin. The blue man nodded toward the horizon as the last light of the sun peeked over the city.

"Follow me." With that, he turned and dove head first over the cliff, his blue armored boots disappearing out of sight. Yang waited for a splash or anything, but nothing came. Steeling herself for what was to come, and saying to hell with what could happen, Yang ran past her stepmother's grave as well, and dove off of the cliff with reckless abandon. She held her arms outward in a swan dive, her feathered skirt fluttering in the wind for just a second – and then plunged toward the waters below. As the wind whipped at her face, the waters were replaced by a white, pulsing flare of light. The flare widened and grew brighter, forcing her to cover her eyes as she fell. She passed through the flashing white pulse, and a peculiar feeling crept over her body. It felt like she was lying beneath the surface of a rushing river, the current washing over her body as it continued on its way. Yang felt the odd sensation pass even as the ground returned to her feet, and she landed softly in a crouch.

When Yang opened her eyes, she was standing in the same room Adam had stabbed her in. It was still really dark, but Horst was there, sitting off to the side watching a spectacle that Yang had just gone through in death. Blake was talking to this floating black rose of a Ghost, though it seemed a one sided conversation. Blake was visibly distraught, sitting in a crouch almost like the cat Yang teased her of being, the effect of losing Yang very clear on the Faunus. Yang stepped forward to grab her, hug her, do something to let Blake know that she was alright. But where was the fun in that? Yang lived to make people smile, especially Blake. That's what jokes were for!

"Man, I feel like I just got stabbed in the chest." She said out loud, crossing her arms and grinning widely. Horst turned to look at her and just shook his head at her joke. Blake, however, froze. She ignored the Light construct before her and slowly turned toward Yang, disbelief clear on her face as her eyes wandered over Yang's standing form. Yang did nothing, but continued to stand, and was glad she did so when a black and purple blur tackeld her. Yang fell back against the ground with a thud, letting out a muffled 'oof!' as her partner buried her head in Yang's chest, something very easy to do considered her bust. And then Blake, the quiet and reserved member of RWBY, cried her eyes out.

"Yang, I'm so, so sorry. I thought you were gone, I thought I'd lost you! It was all my fault, I dragged you into this and got you hurt! I'm so sorry..." Blake trailed off, but the vibrations from Yang's diaphram indicated that the Faunus was still blubbering apologies and tearsoaked fears into Yang's jacket, and the blonde couldn't help but laugh. She ruffled Blake's hair, making sure to give her ears a few strokes, and petted her with a smile.

"You can't get rid of me that easily, kitty cat. Sometimes, all it takes is a little Spark to get a fire going again." Even as Yang said that and Blake continued to sob, the blue armored Ghost appeared beside Yang, in his fragmented form different from what he represented himself in their talk earlier.

"And that Spark would be me. Sounds like a decent name. Better than Church or something like that." He shrugged, then pointed at the black rose Ghost that floated there silently, watching Yang and Blake. "Dude, your Guardian is a crying mess, say something. This is getting embarassing." The rose did not respond, but its purple eye did narrow in his direction. Yang mirrored the action, though she did cease her reassuring pets and lifted Blake's chin up.

"Get it together, Blake. We've got an asshole to catch. You haven't lost me yet." Yang said with a wink, and released her partner. Blake nodded and heaved a shaky breath, but she slowly recomposed herself after the debilitating affair. When she felt herself again, she turned to the black Ghost floating in the air. Just before Yang's resurrection, it had flown up and examined her. Now, it seemed the Ghost was committed.

 _My name is your choice. However, I am a bit broken from being Oryx's prisoner for so long._ The voice from Ghost was deep and velvety, but it echoed only within her mind. A voice in her head left Blake uncomfortable, but the other things that had happened today really outclassed something as mild as a voice in her head.

"Well, I guess that makes you silent...and black. My Semblance allows me to create shadows of my self, so...how about Shadow?" Blake tried, and the Ghost nodded in agreement.

 _Perfectly acceptable. I can speak, but I prefer this manner of communication. Much more discrete, and it saves me from the ramblings of that blue buffoon._ Shadow inclined himself toward Spark, who was examining Yang's Ember Celica for transmat later. Blake's lips quirked with the beginning of a smile, and she nodded. She of all people could understand the calm, quiet types.

With the two newly minted Guardians at least up to speed with their Ghosts, Horst chose that time to step in.

"Alright you four, it's time to return to the mission. Adam dealt that blow to Yang and has likely left now that he thinks we'll be following him. However, we can use this to our advantage. We'll see if we can contact Ruby and pen him in. With Yang supposedly dead, he'll underestimate our numbers." He held up a hand, and Switch emerged again. A faint tittering could be heard, and Yang and Blake both realized that the communication channel could be heard in their heads, similarly to how Shadow had spoken to Blake. It was an odd feeling, to say the least. Finally, the feedback quieted, and they could faintly hear Ruby's breathing on the other side. From the sound of it, she and Weiss were running.

"Ruby, it's Horst. We ran into some trouble, but everyone is back together now. How are things on your end?" Horst said, pointing toward the catwalk above them. Blake and Yang nodded, their Ghosts disappearing as they headed toward the staircase outside of the labyrinth created by the shipping containers. Horst lifted himself up onto the containers, then jumped again to the catwalk himself.

 _"We located an office that we think Adam used while he was here. There was a map there, too. Weiss thinks that there's an underground rail system the White Fang have been using to get their things around Vale."_ There was a pause, and then Ruby's voice came back again in a more dreary tone. _"Okay, Weiss KNOWS that there's a rail system. We're heading there now. Summer will mark the nav point, or you know, whatever. Just meet us there!"_

Horst ran to the end of the catwalk where the hallway opened up just as Blake and Yang crested the stairs. Nodding to the two to confirm that they had heard, together the three moved down the hallway. As soon as they turned the corner, a white arrow pointing downward appeared in the direction of the hallway Ruby and Weiss had gone down when the team had first arrived. The three rounded the mess hall and exited back toward the loading dock, which had silenced its alarm. There were several fires still burning, and the guards were still unconscious, so the three moved on into the next corridor across the way. It was a long hall that twisted and turned, and eventually they passed a much nicer office door that was hanging open. Inside, a mahogany desk and high backed wooden chair sat in a moderately furnished room, with maps and papers all over the place. Horst and Bumblebee stopped momentarily to confirm that it was empty, then continued on. As they rounded the next corner, the marker indicated a door at the end of the corridor. Horst let Yang take the lead, and the blonde tucked her shoulder. The single paned, wooden door with the clouded window never stood a chance.

Yang's impact broke the door apart, leaving a few battered pieces attached to each hinge and the lock miraculously still in place. Blake and Horst slipped past the shattered remains and into the wide area they had just entered. All around them, steel racks for smaller shipping crates and other warehousing needs stood along the concrete walls in neat rows, some with crates and others bare. Unlike the shipping container room, this warehouse was brightly lit with flourescent bulbs. They came in on the right side of the room, as to their left and in the center were two sets of railroad tracks. These tracks ended at a rotunda, a huge metal disk that rotated and allowed for cars to be redirected from one set of tracks to the other. As it stood, there were no cars in the room at this point. However, several unconscious guards and a toppled crate indicated that Ruby and Weiss had interrupted some form of work. Speaking of the two, Yang was the first to spot them standing near the yawning dark tunnel that led deeper into the rail complex, the metal rods flowing into near complete darkness at their feet.

Horst and Blake followed Yang as they reunited with the rest of team RWBY, the blonde stopping to wrap her sister up in a brief hug. Blake hung back, still feeling remorse and guilt over Yang's albeit temporary death, and no one from the second team felt up to telling Ruby about what had happened. So, they didn't. As Ruby looked up at Yang with a bright smile, the blonde made a mental note to tell the little leader all about what had happened after their mission was over.

"What took you guys so long? We found a room full of papers and spent fifteen minutes going over reports and stuff. It was sooooo boring!" Ruby complained, nudging the unconcious White Fang guards with her foot. Behind her, Weiss predictably huffed and went into lecture mode.

"Yes, and because we went over those _boring_ documents, we not only found out about the railway system they've been using, but we also know where they're holding Leonberger." The Schnee said indignantly. Ruby stuck out her tongue playfully at her partner, then offered a smug grin as she nodded toward Horst, Blake, and Yang.

"Is there anything you want to tell them, Ms. Schnee?" Ruby's smugness did not go unnoticed by the rest of the team, though it did embarrass Weiss. The heiress flushed slightly and crossed her arms, before reluctantly holding up a dainty haind, palm facing upward.

"Everyone, please allow me to introduce Flake, my new companion." She said with a sigh. As she did so, a shimmer in the air gave way to another one of the Ghosts that had come through the portal, this one stark white and its shell thin and spiny. The irony of the fact that it looked like a floating snowflake was not lost on the other team members.

"A pleasure to meet you, sir and madames." He said with a posh, well manner tone. Yang whistled lowly in appreciation, and Blake offered a small smile as well. This Ghost seemed much more well mannered than Switch and Spark. Not to be left out, Yang and Blake summoned their Ghosts as well. As the two raised their hands, Spark and Shadow appeared as well. While Shadow remained silent, Spark had to offer his opinion.

"Dude, you sound like a butler or something. Should have named him Jarvis or Alfred. Maybe Walter." The Ghost said sardonically. Weiss' eyebrows met in a frown, and she opened her mouth to retort. However, Horst stepped between the four before they could start arguing about their Ghosts.

"As fun as it would be to see an argument over Light constructs, we still have a mission to complete. Adam Taurus is still unaccounted for, and we need to see how far this rail system goes. So, instead of bickering over Ghost personalities, it's time for our newly recruited Guardians to learn about Sparrows." Horst said, and all four members of team RWBY looked at each other curiously. Spark and Switch, who had materialized on his own, rolled their eyes in their own ways.

"They're going to need to borrow some Glimmer, Horst. I don't think these Ghost brought their own programmable matter." Switch said, disliking the idea of sharing his personal stash. Nevertheless, Switch transmatted four glowing cubes, each roughly the size of an apple, in mid air. Ruby took the first one eagerly, and Summer scanned it into nonexistence quickly. Taking her lead, the other three did so as well, and soon all four members of RWBY had enough programmable matter to form their Sparrows.

"The Glimmer is incredibly dense, so you should have enough for some of our personal hover bikes, called Sparrows. You lot saw me riding one on the freeway a few weeks back." Horst instructed. "Now focus your Light into your Ghosts, and let's see what you come up with."

The four girls nodded and closed their eyes, each concentrating on the image of Horst's Sparrow from so long ago. As they focused, the Ghosts reacted to their will, and began scanning empty areas near the rails. Each Ghost was spaced far enough apart from the others to allow the formation of the Sparrows without getting them mixed up, Spark holding his hand out while the others projected their scans from their eyes. In unison, and with a great flash of Light, the girls opened their eyes. And all four grinned at what sat before them. Horst appraised the Sparrows that had been summoned, his eyes running over them with critical judgment, before nodding in approval.

"Alright ladies." He said as his own appeared behind him. "Mount up."

* * *

You actually though I would kill off my favorite member of RWBY? Pssh. You guys are so gullible.


	17. Chapter 17

_"We knew the world would not be the same. A few people laughed...a few people cried. Most people were silent. I remembered the line from the Hindu scripture, the Bhagava Gita. Vishnu was trying to convince the prince to do his duty, and to impress him took on his multi-armed form and says, "I am become Death, Destroyer of Worlds." I suppose we all felt that way, one way or another." -_ _ **J. Robert Oppenheimer**_ _._

 _Curiously enough, similar sentiment was found upon the rebirth of the first Guardians. Born into a world marked by war, they quickly learned that they had one choice: to become the most efficient and deadly beings in the galaxy, or face extinction._

 **Chapter 17**

* * *

Hunters never got caught. It was a tried and true fact of life, from the very first Bladedancer down to the the newly born Gunslinger. It was a lesson ingrained into the very being of every Guardian that chose to don the cloak of the Hunter. So if you ever saw one of the slippery warriors in chains, be wary. Hunters don't get caught; they allow themselves to be captured.

The White Fang thugs hauling Spirit's fully armored form down the rails toward the train clearly did not get this memo. In fact, two scouts overpowering the woman that had gone toe to toe with their boss' boss and come out standing should have seemed a little odd to the boys in white masks as they tied up the Hunter's wrists with rope – HA! Rope! - and carted her off to meet Roman. As the two hefted the Guardian and dragged her down the rail tunnel, Spirit was keen to glance around and glean as much intelligence as possible.

On either side of the tracks, the White Fang was hard at work loading the train with a multitude of hardware. Mech suits similar to what Ruby and the others had described from a few weeks back were loading large crates and canisters into the box cars, while White Fang soldiers lashed other Paladin mech suits to the flat cars. A loud metallic thump echoed to Spirit's left, and she turned her head to see a pair of White Fang members loading a very explosive looking metal object, with handles on each side and roughly three feet long and two feet tall. Judging from the loud clank and the fact that it did not bounce, whatever the thing was happened to be very heavy.

"Hey, watch it!" One of the guards said irritably to the other. "What are you trying to do, blow us to the moon?" The other White Fang member, clearly younger and less experienced, held up his hands sheepishly.

"Sorry sir!" The outburst proved Spirit's suspicions: they were loading bombs onto the trains. From what she could glean, several other cars had the same canister bombs on them as well, with a few more still yet to be loaded. Whatever the White Fang was planning, it was going to be explosive. That didn't bode well for Vale. After entering the under city with Oobleck and JNPR, Spirit had surveyed the White Fang encampment and quickly concluded that there was no way the whole team could slip in unnoticed. And even if the six of them managed to sneak in, starting a full on brawl in an area where they were severely outnumbered wasn't wise. The added presence of the bombs Spirit was seeing now just meant that she had been right. So, she had 'accidentally' tripped an alarm in the tunnels, and the two dunderheads carrying her to their boss were about to deliver the assassin straight to the king, so to speak.

The two stopped at the box car near the front of the train, the engine just a few cars away. Inside the open car, the clanking of metal and tools could be heard. The one with glasses cleared his throat expectantly, and Spirit waited to see what happened next.

"Hey boss, we've got something you should see!" The underling called. The work inside the boxcar did not stop, but another voice came from within the car over the racket. Judging from the smugness and carefree tone in the voice, Spirit immediately disliked the speaker. And that was before she had even seen him.

"Is it good or bad Perry, because I gotta tell ya; I have _had_ a _day._ " The leader said from within the car. The now named Perry looked at his partner in crime and shrugged. Despite his lassie-fair attitude, Spirit could pick up the warning in the boss' words: if the news they had was bad and/or a waste of time, the two sentries would be in trouble.

"Uh...it's a Huntress?" Perry said loudly but uncertainly. The work within the boxcar stopped immediately, and footsteps could be heard on the wooden floorboards. After a few seconds, Roman Torchwick poked his head out of the rail car, his cigar flaring brightly as he took a long drag on it. His visible eye widened when it fell upon Spirit, and the crime lord pulled the cigar from his mouth to tap it out.

"THAT...would be bad." He said honestly, ashes falling from the cigar as he contemplated the situation. While he appraised Spirit, the Hunter was making judgments of her own. Ruby and Horst had passed onto her the description and behavior of Roman Torchwick, and his history of Dust theft and attempted murder. While he could be considered a career criminal in terms of stealing Dust and threatening shop keeps, loading a train with bombs seemed against his original intentions. From what Spirit could see, Roman stood to gain nothing from blowing up Vale. There was an off chance that he was shipping the weapons instead of using them, but systematically placing a single bomb in each car made that unlikely. What did the master thief stand to gain by detonating his hard stolen ordnance? A smooth talking slime ball like Roman would need an ulterior motive to do something as destructive as this. Before Spirit could consider the implications however, Hope came over the mental link just as the Hunter sensed a flare of Light from farther into the tunnels.

 _"Spirit. I'm detecting more Light signatures heading this way. Four of them, to be exact."_ Hope's voice echoed within Spirit's mind, a tinge of worry in the usually peppy Ghost's tone. Additional support was both unexpected and poorly timed; things going sideways while Spirit was 'captured' could mean a firefight, one that could end with one of the students going down. Considering that as far as Zavala had been told when she had last spoken to him there was no back up coming, the possibility of Fallen or Cabal incursion crept into her mind. Unlike the Hive and Vex, the Cabal and the Fallen were not champions of the Darkness, but rather its pawns. They acted separately from the questionable entity, though their goals and its own often aligned. They also used Light whenever they damn well pleased.

Before Spirit could ask her Ghost more details about the incoming Light signatures, Roman grasped the hood of her cloak, throwing it back to expose the full head of her helmet. Metal plates, hardened mesh, and hardened composites shielded Spirit's head and hid it from view, earning a low whistle of appreciation from Roman.

"Quite the get up you got there, sweetheart. Wish I had armor like that." Roman purred, his visible eye roaming across Spirit's form in a way that made her lip curl in disgust. "And a classy cloak to go with it. Very nice." The criminal mastermind twirled his cane through his fingers, almost absentmindedly as he considered his next words. Spirit watched the seemingly harmless cudgel swing, her eyes tracking the long end and where it was pointed. Horst and RWBY had clued her in on Roman's devastating grenade launcher of a weapon, and his mastery of it. In addition to the mysterious ice cream themed sidekick of his, Roman was a lot more dangerous than he appeared.

"So tell me, sugarplum, where does a Huntress like you come up with a weapon like that?" Roman asked, pointing his chin toward Thorn as it sat in the grasp of the White Fang member on her right. Spirit cut her eyes toward the weapon, pitying the man that held it even as his doom approached. Still, that would take a few minutes depending on the Faunus' constitution. Spirit turned her head to indicate she saw the weapon, then returned her masked gaze to Roman and remained silent. Roman maintained his self satisfied smirk, though Spirit could see that it was strained. The mastermind wasn't used to hostages being unfazed by his antics, but he wasn't a novice either. Roman stopped spinning his cane and planted it right in front of Spirit's kneeling form, leaning forward slightly as he loomed over her.

"The quiet type, huh? Well, not to worry. You and I have plenty of time to get to know each other. I don't know if those students of yours are coming to save you, or if they turned tail and run. Either way, it doesn't matter. You won't be going anywhere." Roman's fingers danced across the shaft of his cane, an idle tempo as he waited for his words to have any effect. Spirit stared up at him, clearly unimpressed even despite her helmet. Her silence clearly began to irritate the master thief, as his smirk morphed into a scowl quickly. Before any more snide comments could come from his mouth, Roman had grasped his cane and brought it across Spirit's face. The impact was lessened substantially by her helmet, but there was still a surprising amount of force in it. The blow sent her to the ground, her bound arms useless in breaking her fall as Spirit bounced off the dirt. Before she could get her knees underneath her, the two flunkies that had been holding her roughly grabbed her under her arms and hoisted the Hunter back onto her knees. She shook her head to clear the daze that he had left behind, half show and half genuine. For a girly man, the guy could swing that cane.

Roman grasped Spirit's chin and looked her over, his single visible eye running over the various buckles and latches that kept the armor over her head. If she was fine with the helmet on, the next step was to take the helmet off, of course. Before he could order this endeavor, however, a yell from behind him attracted everyone's attention. Roman turned and looked, just in time for a cluster of four streaking lights to knock one of the sentries off of the scaffolding he was using to watch down the tunnel. All eyes climbed upward as the streaking comets – the closest approximation that Roman could come up with, anyway – continued on heedless of the people below them. The White Fang stopped loading the train and murmured among themselves about what the lights were, but Spirit knew. Four Ghosts had just passed over, and it was a likely guess where they were headed. JNPR was about to get an upgrade. The unfortunate downside was that Spirit wasn't going to be receiving any immediate backup. She couldn't afford to let Roman see her face – if the Faunus were discriminated against, there was no telling Remnant's reaction to an Awoken Guardian. The criminal mastermind pointed in the direction the lights had flown, even as the White Fang geared up.

"After them! If they were scouts or something, the plan's ruined!" He yelled, and the Faunus terrorists moved to carry out his command. Roman and several others, including the ones detaining Spirit, remained behind to finish loading the train. The man watched them go for a moment, then turned his attention back to Spirit.

"Now, where were we?" He asked rhetorically. "Oh yes, I remember. We were just about to get a gander at that pretty little face of yours." As he said that, the soldier on her left began feeling around on her helmet, his fingers searching for the release that would expose her face. Spirit moved her head away from him, but the guy had both hands on her helmet. While he futilely scrambled for a clasp or valve (the real release was in the neck lining, though she wasn't going to tell him that), Hope came over the link.

 _Those were Ghosts! They each singled out a member of the team. The kids aren't coming quickly._ Hope's voice was tinged with worry. Given the White Fang's PR direction, an alien helping Vale oppress the Faunus was not something they needed. While she might pass it off as a Semblance or some sort of mutation, there would be enough clout for Roman's crew to seriously impair any relations the Guardians might have once they reach Remnant. Without back up coming like they had planned, Spirit was forced to improvise.

A lucky brush of the knuckles revealed the seal that kept Spirit's helmet air tight. A faint hiss escaped from the seal as the White Fang soldier, Perry, undid it. The next release was on the back of her head, and she was running out of time.

"Hope, I'm gonna need a grenade. I can't let them get this helmet off." Spirit whispered, her Ghost picking up on it even as the others did not. While Perry wrestled with Spirit's helmet, Spirit opened her mouth as wide as she could. Even so, her jaws strained painfully as Hope transmatted an incendiary grenade into her mouth. The Hunter nearly gagged as the explosive device appeared, and she worked her jaw to where the fuse was pointed out of her mouth. _Nothing's going to taste right after this._ She idly thought. While Perry continued to try and manhandle her helmet off, Roman stood back several feet as he waited for the unveiling. The other White Fang, the one holding Thorn, stared off into the distance as if lost in his own little world. No one could hear the voice in his head, the poisonous influence that Thorn exerted on the weak minded. It was the reason Horst despised the weapon so much, even though Spirit vouched for its efficiency time and again. The weapon was evil, and had a mind of its own. Spirit's ruthlessness was the only reason it had not tried to effect her too.

"Hey boss!" Perry said excitedly, as he pulled up on the helmet and separated it from the neck seal. "I think I got-" Before he could finish the statement, Spirit bit the fuse in two. The incendiary grenade ignited instantly from the force and friction of bone severing metal. Perry went from taking a helmet off to detonating a bomb in his own hands. Spirit's helmet contained the blast somewhat, but it still sent shrapnel – and Perry – flying with the detonation as her head went several places at once. Spirit's limp and headless corpse toppled over as Roman rolled a few step back, eye wide with horror as he struggled to understand what had just happened.

"Whoa! You don't see that on the evening news." He said in surprise, before looking down to see Perry's bloody form growing crimson in the dirt. The helmet had fragmented, sending several shards of metal into his chest, neck, and gut. The poor man was dying, if the choking, blood-filled gasps for air were any indication. The other guy had survived unscathed, though he seemed much worse for wear. Roman doubled back once again as the remaining White Fang member stuck Thorn's barrel in his own mouth and pulled the trigger. The spike that issued forth from the weapon punched clean through his mouth and out the back of his head, adding the amount of crumpled corpses on the ground the three as his legs gave out. Thorn clattered to the ground from nerveless fingers, seeming to glower with smug satisfaction as it claimed another victim. Roman and a few of the remaining White Fang stared at the scene with a mixture of horror, awe, and revulsion. Were it not for the explosions and sounds of fighting further down the tunnel, they likely would have stared for a good while longer. As the second explosion rocked the underground complex, however, Roman snapped out of the daze and started barking orders.

"Get the train moving! Leave whatever isn't loaded behind!" He ordered, waving his arm as the other hand reached for a new cigar. The White Fang began jumping onto the train, though the nearest one stopped next to Roman and looked down uncertainly at Thorn, sitting innocently in the blackened dirt. He bent down to retrieve it, but Roman's hand on his shoulder stopped him.

"Leave it. Unless you feel like eating a bullet too." Roman advised callously. Without stopping to see if his advice was heeded, Roman turned and jumped into the boxcar he had been working on. Further down the line, the locomotive slowly began steaming up, and the train jolted forward as it slowly left the stop. The long train slowly pulled away from Mountain Glenn, leaving behind several mechs, a good bit of explosives, and three corpses. Once the White Fang and their precious train had departed, Hope flitted out from the shadows on white wings, circling around her Guardian's body as she gathered Light. Once the Ghost had enough for resurrection, her blue eyes glowed brightly as Spirit's body faded away, disappearing in a shower of Light. Seconds later, the Hunter emerged in a similar font of Light resurrected, standing next to her Ghost as they watched the train roll on into darkness. Once she was sure that the train wasn't returning anytime soon, Spirit removed her helmet (much more quickly than the now deceased Perry) and spit on the ground, sticking out her tongue in disgust.

"Ugh. My mouth tastes like two hobos fucking in a shoe full of piss." She griped, shuddering as the unsavory taste slowly ebbed. Resurrection was a funny thing; it healed you completely, but sometimes coming back had side effects. Horst had his scars, and right now Spirit tasted only horrible things. There was no real explanation, but at least it wasn't permanent. While Spirit bemoaned the torture her tongue was enduring, Hope turned toward the tunnel many of the White Fang had run down. Even though twelve White Fang soldiers had charged down the tunnel, only four people emerged from it. And not a single one of them were members of the White Fang.

Jaune and Pyrrha led the way, each with a floating Ghost at their shoulders. Jaune's Ghost was pure white, its shell designed like a kite shield with its eye on the middle. Pyrrha's was quite different, a red and gold stallion that trailed golden fire, and its hooves sparked in the air as it pawed at imaginary ground. Behind them, Nora and Ren followed as well. Nora bounced along with her Ghost dancing out of her reach, a white shell similar to Switch's with a jagged yellow lightning bolt dancing across its front. Ren's Ghost appeared to be as calm as he was, floating leisurely along next to him. The shell sported several spines pointing outward, and its open facets flowed in a slightly circular pattern. The Ghost sported a magenta color with a single black stripe, opposite of Ren's hair color. Spirit cleared her palate one last time, then resecured her helmet.

"So, that was unexpected." She said helpfully, and the four students couldn't help but nod in agreement. Jaune and Pyrrha inspected each other's Ghosts in wonder, Jaune's kite shield looking companion flying circles around Pyrrha's head as her Ghost pranced between the two. Nora chased her Ghost around, while Ren and his companion simply watched the others from afar. It was a surreal feeling every time, seeing new Guardians. It reminded Spirit of her rebirth, and the trials she faced since her resurrection. Although, these kids had a better chance of survival and improvement than she and Horst had when they were first resurrected. The prospect of of conditioning a new generation of Guardians sent chills down her spine. It was the closest thing to having kids that a Guardian could enjoy.

"So, what's next?" Jaune asked. "That train is already moving fast. We'll never catch it on foot." Pyrrha nodded in agreement, but Spirit wasn't worried. The Hunter chuckled at that, and spread her arms wide in front of them.

"You can't seriously believe that Guardians walk everywhere. You have Ghosts, Light constructs capable in the manipulation of matter itself. In fact," Spirit point her finger at the floating Ghosts. "Why haven't you bunch given your Guardians armor and Sparrows? Time is wasting away, come on!"

At her insistence, Jaune's Ghost moved first, scanning the armor given to him by Horst before the dance. It was clearly high quality, but Jaune's Light was not strong enough to power it properly. The kite shield looking Ghost chimed a single note, loud and clear like that of a bell, and Jaune disappeared in a shower of Light. Pyrrha, Nora, and Ren started at their leader's disappearance, though he did not remain gone for long. A few seconds later, he dropped from above where he had been standing previously. He landed cautiously next to Pyrrha, holding his hands out to make sure he didn't fall. Instead of the Guardian armor he had worn up until now, what he now wore was reminiscent of his usual get up. He had on his black hoodie underneath the white chest piece and shoulder pads, but the armor appeared to be the same material as the Ghost shells. He also had white plate across his thighs and knees, though he kept his blue jeans and sneakers.

"I will keep the armor Titan Horst gave you for when your Light is sufficient to use it. Until then, your usual attire will likely be sufficient with a few upgrades, no?" It was a smooth, feminine voice that came from the shield, the blue light of her eye blinking with each syllable. Her accent was a heavy Golden Age French. Jaune took a settling breath before he looked up at his Ghost.

"Thanks, Bastion. I like the armor, but I guess I need more training before I can use it properly." Jaune stretched his arms outward, enjoying the flexibility not afforded by the set of armor. "Besides, I like my old look."

Beside him, Pyrrha's Ghost completed its examination and shook its equine head, stamping as if it were on the ground. A few extra magazine pouches appeared on her belt, but otherwise no changes were made to the champion's attire.

"One can hardly improve upon perfection. Unless we go into space, this Guardian is ready for anything." This Ghost had a deep voice and a laid back tone, though it was clear he was thorough in his scan. Pyrrha blushed at his compliment, and nudged Jaune playfully with her shoulder.

"Thank you, Victory. I appreciate that." She said sheepishly, used to praise from strangers but not entirely used to someone seeing inside of her head. She opened and closed her new pouches experimentally, marveling at the magazines that were already held there. Behind the two shield bearers, Nora grinned widely at her Ghost as it flew around her quickly. The lightning bolt marked Ghost scanned his Guardian quickly, and added a few white metal panels to her legs with a thin white set of pants to attach to. Nora looked down and 'ooh'ed at her new clothes, rapping her knuckles experimentally on the metal plates with a dull thunk. A small chest piece covered her front as well, though it cut off at her stomach to allow for the range of movement necessary to swing Magnhild around.

"This young warrior is the pinnacle of perfection! So says Mjolnir, the Mighty!" Nora's Ghost boomed with a loud, gruff voice that suspiciously sounded like Thor. Almost as if that was the point. While his partner and her Ghost pranced about ogling her new armor plates, Ren and his Ghost sat nearby. The ninja's green over shirt had been thickened enough to provide resistance against blunt force objects and projectiles, and his hands were covered with metal backed gloves that had steel caps on the tips of his fingers. Orchid, his Ghost, floated nearby with an amused lidded eye before floating closer to the abandoned cargo that the White Fang had left behind. His blue scanning field passed over shipping crates, as well as a few unarmed bombs the terrorists had left behind. When his scan was complete, his facets separated slightly as he pulsed, and two metal crates and a bomb disappeared. The Ghost tittered and tilted as he reconfigured the matter, before pulsing again. When he finished, a shimmer of Light heralded a speeder bike, a Sparrow, built the same way Horst's had been the night RWBY had fought Roman on the freeway. The only difference being, this one was colored green with white highlights, its fusion core engine firing a soft blue trail. Nora zipped over to it and examined it curiously, her hands itching to wrap around the handle bars and take the vehicle for a ride.

"Nora, you can have your own." Ren chided gently, placing a cautious arm on her wrist to keep the girl from taking off into a wall should the inspiration strike her.

"Awww. But I wanna ride now." She sulked, before turning a vicious gaze to Mjolnir. "Mjolnir! Awesome speeder bike thingy, right here! And make it pink!" The Ghost bounced in the air for a moment, processing her request.

"So the lady hath said, so it shall be!" He proclaimed proudly, and dove into the same supplies Orchid had taken from. They were lucky much of the cargo was comprised of Dust and other combustible materials, since the Ghosts needed something similar to craft the drive cores. Without suggestion from Jaune or Pyrrha, Victory and Bastion floated over as well. A myriad of scans passed over the crates and explosives, waves of blue light casting shadows across the ground. Spirit tapped her foot impatiently as the Ghost gathered materials for their Guardians, eager to be underway even as her own Sparrow unveiled itself next to her. The Hunter leaned up against her black bike as her students – and yes, she supposed that they were actually HER students – eagerly waited for their Sparrows to appear.

While Spirit waited, the reverberating hum of several Sparrows echoed from further down the tunnel – away from where the train had departed. Spirit angled her head to peer down into the darkness, and sure enough she could see five lights growing steadily brighter as they approached her. Spirit pushed her Sparrow aside and stepped off the tracks, just in time for an orange and black blur with an outstretched hand flew past her. Just as it was level with Spirit, a hollow smack filled the area as a line of heat and a sharp pain sprang from her rear. Hotter than the mild pain and absolute avalanche of indignation was the fury that followed as she realized what had been done. Almost as soon as it passed, four more Sparrows: red and black, white and blue, black and purple, and finally yellow and black, zipped past as well. Even as they burned down the tracks, Spirit could hear Yang call back from the trailing Sparrow.

"Hurry up, guys! We've got a train to catch!" The blonde crowed as she sped down the line, leaving Spirit and JNPR to watch five burning engines tear down the rail line. More infuriating than the fact that the other team had passed them, Horst had slapped her ass. IN FRONT OF THEIR STUDENTS. Jaune and Ren winced in memory of the groin shot of all groin shots the Titan had suffered the last time he had touched her cloak, let alone something so inflammatory as a slap on the ass. Judging by the popping knuckles coming from the Hunter's clenched fists, Jaune thought it best to get their Sparrows together and get moving. Even as he moved to hurry the Ghosts along, however, three shimmers of Light cascaded by Jaune, Pyrrha, and Nora even as the Ghost completed their constructive work. Like the ones RWBY had been using, the Sparrows were of similar construction to Horst and Spirit's, though Jaune's was white with yellow trim, Pyrrha's was predictably red with gold trim, and Nora's was white with an entirely pink seat. Jaune mounted his cautiously, his feet fumbling as they found the 'stirrups' or whatever the foot paddles were called to the rear of the seat. He grasped the handles of a machine he was not very familiar with, and suddenly the realization that they were about to hurtle down a somewhat narrow train tunnel on hover bikes that they had never ridden before hit him like a sack of bricks.

"Uh, Professor? How exactly do you-" Before Jaune could ask his totally understandable question, Spirit had mounted her Sparrow in a fit of rage and gunned the engine to full, boosting down the tunnel. Whether she was moving quickly to catch up to Horst or the train, Jaune couldn't say. Nora, Pyrrha, and Ren mounted their Sparrows as well, stowing their weapons across their backs and Ren's within his sleeves as they powered their Sparrows up. Four bursts of fire spurted from the cores as the Sparrows floated toward the rails slowly. A reverberating hum filled the room as the engines purred in sync with each other, and Pyrrha slowly made way for Jaune to take the lead as he test the controls. With a slight twist, the Sparrow jumped forward in response as he tested the throttle. Almost on instinct, he angled his right foot backward and his left foot forward, turning the Sparrow to the side and preventing a collision with Pyrrha's bike. Once he got feeling for the controls, Jaune looked back at his team.

"Are you guys ready?" He asked with a bright grin. Pyrrha winked at him supportively, and Nora pumped a fist in the air.

"Let's do this!" The serial booper cried. Ren nodded and smiled in silent agreement, confident that Nora had said enough. As their Ghosts disappeared from view, JNPR rocketed off down the tunnel, intent on catching up to their teachers and fellow students before they reached the train.

* * *

"Was that really necessary?" Ruby yelled over the rushing wind, though she didn't realize that Summer transmitted her every word through the comm link that the Ghosts shared. As a result, the other four Guardians on Sparrows winced in pain as her voice boomed in their heads. Horst was used to such transmissions, however, and he shook his head.

"You can speak normally, Ruby. And yes, that was absolutely necessary. From what Hope said, we don't have time to stop and pick them up. And Spirit had that coming." He added the last part with a humored chuckle, and a laugh from Yang was heard as well. The five sped down the darkened tunnel, chasing the echoes of the train ahead. From what Hope had told them while Spirit was being 'interrogated', it was imperative that they catch the train and stop it from reaching its destination.

"According to the maps in Adam's office, this line runs right underneath Founder's Square in Vale. There's no stop beyond where JNPR was at, so I don't know if they have an unmapped area..." Weiss said forebodingly as she caught up with Ruby, pushing her Sparrow slightly to catch up with the reaper.

"...or if they don't plan on stopping. Those bombs Hope mentioned don't bode well." Blake finished, still somewhat subdued from Yang's resurrection. Yang nodded from her position next to the Faunus, and Horst had to agree as well. However, the practice of planting a bomb in each individual train car was puzzling. For a larger explosion, wouldn't it be more effective to place all the charges in the first two cars? Why string them out in the rear line, and why only one at a time?

"Horst." The single word was ground out through gritted teeth, and the Titan shivered as a sixth person entered the channel. "I'm going to amputate that hand before the end of this." Spirit's black Sparrow devoured the distance between herself and RWBY, and soon she slipped between the students expertly and found herself riding next to Horst. From her tone of voice, she wasn't very amused. It was a sentiment Horst did not share.

"Hehe. Sorry, sweetheart. Couldn't resist." The Titan said with a shrug. Spirit remained silent and stared at him, leaning back in her seat slightly as she glared through her helmet. A cacophony of amused snickers and chuckles entered the comm as JNPR caught up, totaling the number of Guardians on the channel to ten.

"It was funny, though." Pyrrha said timidly, not wanting to attract Spirit's ire but at the same time hoping to defuse the situation before it started. A few murmurs of agreement from Yang and Blake kept Spirit's temper in check, and she opted not to say anything. Instead, the Hunter looked ahead to see their quarry, the tail end of the train, quickly approaching. Either they were moving very quickly, or the train had slowed down for some reason.

"Hey, there's the train." Yang pointed out obviously. Horst squinted within his helmet as the approaching wooden car grew closer, as if it really was slowing down. From his vantage point, it looked as if the train car had been decoupled from the rest of the train...

The plan hit him just a few seconds before the shock wave did.

With a catastrophic explosion made ever louder by the acoustics of the train tunnel, the rolling car shattered outward and jumped the rail. The metal frame of the car kept it held somewhat together, though the force of the blast sent it into a roll that bounced off of the ceiling – causing a massive amount of dirt and concrete to fall through – as the wreck came careening toward the Guardians.

"Move!" Horst barked, and he and Spirit banked hard to the right. Yang, Jaune, and Pyrrha followed suit as the car stood on end when the group passed it. Blake, Ruby, Nora, Ren, and Weiss went the opposite direction, the group rushing past the obstacle like a river around a rock. The train car continued its roll, before slamming into a wall and crumbling the concrete. Yang slowed down to stare at the destroy train car, and was thoroughly alarmed at the incredible number of glowing red eyes revealed by the walls destruction. As the dust settled from the pulverized concrete, several Beowulfs and more than a few Ursa crawled from the hole. The Beowulfs howled and began slavering at the mouth, going to all fours and sprinting after the Guardians and the train they were pursuing. The blonde spun her Sparrow around and boosted to catch up to the others, just as Horst turned around to look at the rest.

"They're leading the Grimm to the city!" Yang and Horst yelled at the same time, causing everyone else on the channel to wince. "We've got to break off and get back to Vale." Horst continued. "Spirit, they think you're dead. Break off and take Oobleck back to Vale in case we can't stop the train."

"He's already on board. Hope, take us up." Spirit said grudgingly, not one to sit out on a fight. However, the advantage of being considered dead by the enemy and hiding the secret that Guardians could resurrect was more important that chasing down her prey. Hope flitted into existence beside her. As the Ghost 'flew', she pulse with Spirit's Light and began channeling the _Infinite Sky's_ transmat. When she had gathered enough Light, Hope and Spirit disappeared in a shower of Light. Her voice, however, remained on the comm.

"Horst, do NOT let him escape. I didn't bite a grenade in half for that bowler hat wearing freak to get away." She snarled, though Horst knew deep down she meant well. Like, really far down there. "Kids, listen to Horst, have fun, and go kick some ass." Ren's quiet voice came over the channel next.

"Don't worry, Spirit. We'll break a leg." He said with a chuckle.

"Yeah!" Nora said, and her evil grin was audible. " _Their legs!_ " Jaune had to suppress a shiver, but he shared their sentiment. Just as Spirit cleared the tracks, a second car decoupled from the train ahead. Judging from the loud clack of releasing clamps, they were close to the train itself. However, the car drifting ominously toward them as it decelerated also bore a nasty surprise for them, if the first car was anything to go by.

"Hurry, get around it!" Jaune said urgently. Without further instruction needed, Horst led JNPR, Ruby, and Weiss to the left side of the car and skirted around it without incident. Blake pulled from the other side and allowed the others to move by with Yang chasing the rest, then moved up to pass as well. Unfortunately, the timer on the bomb inside the train car had other plans. Just as Blake was about to clear the front of the car and join the others, a wave of heat and sound slammed into her from behind. Wooden splinters and metal shrapnel rained down upon the Faunus as her Sparrow bucked in response to the shock wave, sending it careening into the wall. Yang heard the wavering rumble of Blake's stricken Sparrow, and slowed down just as the bike's pronged front made contact with the concrete wall. Blake saw that the bike would collide and jumped without thinking, trying with all her might to reach Yang's outstretched hand. The blonde snatched her partner's hand out of the air with ease, dragging her along in the gravel as she struggled to lift her back onto the Sparrow.

"Blake, hold on!" Yang cried, causing a few of the others to look back as Horst led the way to the train. As Blake struggled to stay above the biting gravel she was dragged along, Yang sped up to meet the train. One more box car sat in the rear, and after that a flat car was loaded down with various crates and ammunition, clear not fuel for the exploding train cars. Apparently, the plan wasn't to blow up the whole train. Yang dragged her partner past Ruby, Weiss, and finally Horst as she ran parallel with the flat car, not trusting the final boxcar not to be a bomb toting traitor. Blake's eyes widened as the space between Yang's Sparrow and the charging train became uncomfortably close. Through the iron grip Yang had on Blake's arm, the Faunus felt her partner start to tense up. She was going to throw her!

"Jump!" Yang barked, and Blake pulled her feet up and planted them as best she could, scrambling for purchase as she skipped along the ground. Just as Yang began to pull, Blake kicked off of the ground, and together they propelled her into the air and over the flat car. Blake spun as best she could, coming down onto the reinforced wooden panel in a crouch. She looked around for any White Fang, then took a settling breath when there weren't any to harass her. Had Yang not been there, she would likely been resurrecting from a very nasty Sparrow crash.

"Thanks for the save, Yang." She said quietly, and waved to her blonde teammate as said brawler pulled up alongside the train. Yang winked in reply, and then jumped up onto the car alongside Blake. Unlike the Faunus' Sparrow, Yang's was transmatted away in a shower of Light instead of exploding in a fiery collision. While the rest of the team pulled up and mounted the train as well, Blake looked down at her legs. The purple gradient leggings were tattered and shredded from the sharp gravel digging into her legs, though her Light barrier had prevented injury. Pale flesh poked out from the destroyed garments, and Blake shook her head at the loss.

"Shadow, a little help please?" She asked tentatively, hoping against hope that the Ghost could mend her favorite pair of leggings. Not that it was a priority, but it was difficult to find combat grade clothing in Vale. The black rose of a Ghost appeared at her side and scanned the damaged garments carefully, his blue gaze washing over her legs and focusing on the rips at her calves and ankles. With a small pulse of energy, Shadow scanned upward quickly, and as his blue scan passed over each tear and scrape, the material joined together seamlessly as if it had never been torn. Blake turned her legs this way and that, marveling at the flawless repair job. Shadow simply blinked in response, before winking out of existence. Weiss walked up next to Blake and examined the fix, before offering a reluctant nod of approval.

"Whatever else becoming a Guardian will bring, it doesn't look like we'll need tailors anymore." The heiress remarked, and Blake couldn't help but agree. They would appreciate the full measure of ascending to Guardianhood later; right now there were only good things to say about it. Jaune and Pyrrha trotted toward the front of the train, stopped at the end of the flat car to look around at the next car. Unlike the previous cars, which appeared to have come out of a junkyard, these next few cars were clearly meant for more military use. Armored plates covered the sides, and small view slits were the only way to see outside or in. The doors were clearly reinforced, and the paint was fresh and whole. If the White Fang and Roman were on the train, they'd be in these reinforced crew cars. Horst walked up behind the two as Ren and Nora flanked him. The Titan removed Chimera from his back as Nora extended Magnhild into its hammer form, silver glinting even in the poor light of the underground tunnel. Ren's Storm Flower made an appearance as well, however they remained the muted green they were painted and did not sparkle or shine whatsoever. Because he's a ninja. Behind them, Ruby extended Crescent Rose into its sniper rifle form, the large blade too big for a confined space. Weiss' Myrtenaster and Blake's Gambol Shroud made ready as well, and Ember Celica completed the cacophony of weapons being cocked and loaded and all other mechanical noises that come with such preparation. Once everyone was ready, Horst nodded to Pyrrha.

"Ms. Nikos. If you would."

Pyrrha grinned and held out her hand, and the metal door that lead into the crew compartment buckled with a horrid screech. Jaune stepped in front of her with his shield raised, ready to block any counter attack as the champion continued to mangle the door. As the top half of the hatch folded forward, the team could just barely see the white vests and masks of several White Fang members as they sprinted into the next car in fear. Pyrrha grunted with effort as the stubborn hatch resisted her magnetic touch, the thick steel groaning as it bent and tore from its frame. In the end, the champion would not be denied, and the hatch broke free of its frame with a final painful shriek of rending metal. Pyrrha pulled the door upward and released her hold on it, allowing the heavy slab of metal and electrical wiring to roll off of the train and onto the tracks, kicking up gravel as it went. Pyrrha relaxed slightly, somewhat fatigued from the intense concentration required to remove such a thick and heavy door from its hatch. Jaune gave her a reassuring pat and moved with her to the side, as Horst and Nora stepped through first.

"Good job, Pyrrha. That door never stood a chance." Ruby said as the rest of the team followed suit. Pyrrha waved off the praise even as the rest of RWBY echoed their own opinions, and instead she looked over at Jaune. The absolutely beaming look of pride on his face warmed her heart more than a dozen championships could ever dream of. Jaune proved ever more bold by giving her a quick peck on the lips, then moved past her into the train car behind Ren before the shock faded from her face. If he hadn't, she likely would not have let him leave the rear car for some time.

The crew car was sparsely furnished, with little more than a few weapons crates, some chairs with restraints for rough weather, and a table and folding chairs. The folding chairs had been knocked over in the White Fang's retreat, and a deck of cards was scattered all over the car. As Horst and Nora reached the inner door, the Titan grasped his sword with both hands and began channeling his Solar Light. In response to his energy, the white gem of Chimera gleamed burnt orange, and intense flames ignited all over the blade. Horst flared his Light even more, and the flames increased in intensity. Nora and the others backed up slightly in the face of the heat; even Yang started to sweat a bit in the cramped car. Once he was satisfied that the blade was hot enough, Horst rammed the sharp tip into the locking mechanism of the door. Because this door was designed for moving between cars, it was nowhere near as thick or sturdy as the one Pyrrha had removed. As such, Chimera's superheated blade passed right through the lock and sliced the metal piece completely in half. With that done, Horst drew his sword back out of the latch and returned it to his back, then backed off and bowed to Nora.

"After you, my Lady Booper." He said regally, as if he were announcing a lady to a ball instead of a very strong Guardian to a very flimsy door. Nora giggled and returned the bow, ducking even lower than the Titan had.

"Why thank you, good sir." She returned in a just as phoney tone, then reared back with Magnhild. On the other side, a pair of White Fang soldiers stood shoulder to shoulder, both wielding swords that they gripped nervously in the face of the hostile force. Roman had been cursing all the way up the tracks about how the port base had been hit hard, and apparently it was the same crew that had cleared out the Mountain Glenn staging area as well. If that was true, then the people coming through the door were about to rock some worlds.

This fact was made painfully obviously – painfully in every sense of the word – when the door they had just seen punctured came flying at them at high speed. A few collisions with the walls made the door spin into a diagonal rush as it slammed into the two terrorists, sending their blades to the ground and their bodies flying backward. When the charging rogue door finally came to a rest, the two White Fang were left lying on the ground groaning in pain. Nora stepped through excitedly, chasing the door she had clobbered through with Magnhild. When she saw that the White Fang were in no shape to fight, however, her expression soured.

"Aww, they're broken." She moped sullenly, and Horst chuckled as he walked by her. The Titan lead the rest of his students through the debris, stepping over rent pieces of metal and the limp bodies as he moved toward the next car.

"Not to worry, Nora. There's plenty more where those came from." He said easily, pushing the door to the next car open from its ajar position. Ruby and Weiss slipped past the hammer wielding girl and let Ren take care of her overzealous behavior. Horst motioned for the two to look into the next car with him, and all three frowned when they found not a bunch of White Fang or even the mother lode of explosives, but a single ladder leading to the top of the train.

"Looks like we're taking this outside again." Weiss said with a scowl. Horst couldn't help but agree. This train ride was getting tedious, and there was no telling how close they were to the destination. If the tunnels had indeed been blocked as Oobleck had said, they were running out of time. From the rate the train was going, stopping would be a bit difficult. Horst pointed upward and looked at Ruby.

"You two get up there and see if you can judge how far we are from the destination. JNPR and the others will follow behind and secure the next car. We _need_ to stop the train, and we need to do it quickly." The Titan ordered. Ruby and Weiss nodded, before a flurry of rose petals and a white glyph sent the two up through the hatch without the assistance of the ladder. Horst shook his head, muttering about damned kids and their antics, when Ruby's voice came over the comm.

"Can someone else get up here? We've got some heavy duty bad guys to deal with!" In the background and from Weiss' link as well, Horst could hear Ruby firing Crescent Rose rapidly, trying to take something down fast. Horst climbed the ladder to get a good look as well, wondering what in the hell would have the two on such an immediate defensive footing.

The answer came in a football kick from an Atlesian Paladin, and Horst's head was the ball.

The impact snapped Horst's head back and dazed him for a moment, making the immense Titan fall from the ladder and onto the floor with a loud thud. At their fallen teacher's reappearance, Yang and Nora leaped into action. Together, the two brutes jumped upward through the hatch and found themselves back to back with Weiss and Ruby, another Paladin mech suit staring them down from the other side. The reinforced crew cars made perfect footing for the heavy Paladins despite their weight, and it also limited RWBY and JNPR's mobility in a fight like this. With such narrow space and the train moving at high speed, strength was going to be the name of the game.

"Alright you guys, Avalanche!" Ruby called out. She and Yang adjusted to allow Nora and Weiss to focus on the Paladin that was closer to the back of the train, the one that had knocked out Horst. The two stepped forward toward the large machine, Weiss already waving her finger around as she channeled her Semblance. The pilot decided that letting the girl finish her spell was a bad idea, and rushed forward to interrupt the casting. Just as the mech suit cocked back to slam its fist through Weiss, however, a white glyph taller Weiss and as wide as the train appeared in mid air between them. The Paladin's fist slammed into the glyph and not only failed to break it, but the glyph threw the energy of the punch right back at the mechanized soldier. The result left the Paladin off balanced, reeling from the rebound as Nora cocked back with her hammer. She spun and slammed Magnhild into the Paladin's leg, throwing the appendage to one side and knocking the machine off balance. The entire train jumped as the large suit landed on the roof, unable to defend itself as Nora followed up with an overhead smash, crushing her hammer against the cockpit. The blow flipped the Paladin like a coin, slamming it into the tunnel wall. The train continued roaring past as the Paladin tumbled along, rolling on the inertia it inherited from the train. If the pilot survived, he'd be feeling that one in the morning.

Behind them, Yang fired Ember Celica at the right arm of the other Paladin, forcing the limb back and damaging it slightly. The pilot tried to bring the damaged arm forward, but the explosive force of Yang's shells delayed the action. As blast after blast hammered the arm, a sparking chunk of wire tore lose at the shoulder joint. Before the pilot could do anything about it, a flash of red and trailing rose petals streaked towards the mech. Ruby slid underneath the outstretched and unresponsive arm and hooked Crescent Rose underneath the armpit. Using the force of her slid, she rode her scythe in a rotation until she landed on top of the sparking machine, her blade primed to removed the arm at its damaged joint. The reaper fired, jumping upward as Crescent Rose sliced cleanly through the already damaged joint. The shift in weight caused the mech to stumble, the pilot struggling to keep his machine from toppling over as his useless arm fell to the train's roof. Yang rolled forward and scooped up the detached limb, and swung it like a baseball bat. The arm's default reflex to curl into a fist negatively affected its previous owner, giving Yang an effective bludgeon as she beat the Paladin with its own arm. After several nasty swipes, Yang hefted the stolen arm like a spear and threw it with a grunt of effort. The fist slammed into its owner, and the Paladin toppled off of the roof to tumble down the rails with its comrade. As it rolled and came apart at the mercy of physics, Yang and Ruby watched it go.

"Stop hitting yourself!" Yang called out with a smirk, before sharing a high five with Ruby. Weiss and Nora enjoyed their victory with a few satisfied smirks as well, before the four realized that their professor had taken a hit to the head. The four looked down into the hatch, worried for the fate of their senior Guardian. Down below, Pyrrha and Blake were struggling to get the large Titan into a sitting position. Horst's head lolled on on his shoulders, still obviously out of it. Jaune and Ren shared a worried look, though their doubt proved unfounded when a groggy groan came from Horst. The Titan reached up to massage his forehead, and a loud clink of metal on metal filled the room as his gauntlets made contact with his helmet.

"Ow." Horst hissed, the loud sound not doing him any favors in vanquishing the headache he was developing. He shook his head to clear it, and looked around at all the students that were looking down at him. Jaune offered a hand, which the Titan took and nodded his thanks. Jaune hauled Horst up to his feet with a grunt of effort, though the newly chosen Guardian's strength was enough to accomplish the task. Horst looked around again, counting students to make sure he hadn't lost anyone in his brief respite.

"Are you alright, professor?" Ruby asked cautiously. Horst held his helmeted head in one hand, waving off their concern with the other.

"I'm fine, Ruby. I feel like I got hit by a train though." He muttered, earning a few amused smirks and snickers from the students. Pyrrha and Ren stepped around and jumped up on top of the car, allowing the others to move upward as well while Horst finished collecting himself.

"What did I miss?" The Titan asked, and Yang stretched languidly and nudged Nora with her elbow.

"Nothing much. Just Nora, Ruby, Ice Queen and I kicking some major robot butt. It's kinda sad that they took you down like that, professor." She teased. Horst just glared at her, though she was unfazed by the expressionless helmet he wore. Nora giggled and ignored the ladder completely, jumping up through the hatch with a single leap. Blake took the more approved route of the ladder, leaving just Ruby, Weiss, Nora, and Yang with the Titan.

"How far are we from Vale, I wonder?" Weiss asked worriedly. They may have handled all of the bombs, but the cars of soldiers and mech suits were still a big problem. What was worse, the Grimm following behind the train would have to be dealt with at some point. Ruby and Nora's expressions soured as Weiss brought up the situation, and Horst couldn't help but agree. Moving car by car was costing them time they didn't have.

"Switch, how much farther do we have?" Horst asked. Instead of appearing in their midst like he had done before, the Ghost's voice simply came over the communication frequency.

 _"I can't tell from inside this train car. If you move to the top with the others, I'll have a better scan of things."_ The Ghost said snidely. Horst rolled his eyes and shook his head. His partner could be such an ass at times...

"Alright ladies, you heard the talking flashlight. Let's get up top and figure out how long this ride will last." Horst said decisively. The girls all nodded eagerly, and one by one they jumped up through the hatch until only Horst was left. Not one to be outdone, the Titan calmly Lifted his way up through the hatch, gliding gently on Light as he ascended from within the train car. When he exited the hatch, Horst was looking behind the train. And he didn't like what he saw.

Far back in the tunnel and slowly receding, a tidal wave of white masks and glowing red eyes chased the train. Beowulfs, Ursa, even Deathstalkers and a few King Taijitsu were trailing behind the White Fang's train. Regardless of whether or not Horst and the others secured the train, the real threat was still on its way, slavering at the mouth for their delicious bodies.

"That is a LOT of Grimm." Horst observed out loud. Pyrrha and Jaune walked toward the rear of the car, the blonde teen's face tense as he surveyed the horde of Grimm. He wasn't exactly looking forward to fight that many Grimm. Beside him, Pyrrha looked a little more sure of herself, though deep down she knew that there were too many Grimm for a few Huntsmen and Huntresses to handle. Thankfully, they were no longer mere Huntsmen.

 _"More good news."_ Switch advised flatly. _"My sensors indicated that there is a solid concrete wall directly beneath Founder's Square up ahead. We've got eight hundred meters until we hit it, and the train is moving a sixty kilometers an hour. That maths out to thirty seconds of BRACE FOR IMPACT, WE'RE ALL GOING TO DIE!"_ The Ghost's panicked yell filled their ears, and the eight students clustered around Horst. The Titan looked ahead, and sure enough he could see a wall of unyielding rock and concrete looming in the darkness. As if it had realized his perception, the engine seemed to increase speed. They didn't have time to stop the train.

"Pyrrha, see if you can slow the train!" Jaune said earnestly. The champion nodded at his order and reached downward, her hands glowing slightly as she felt the rapidly spinning wheels of the train cars beneath them. With a grunt of effort, the champion of Mistral slowed the rotation of the wheels slightly, acting as a set of brakes for the entire train. A series of screeching filled the tunnel as the wheels screaming their protest, metal on metal echoing its cry as Pyrrha attempted to slow their impending impact.

"Everyone grab hold! I'll put up a barrier!" Weiss urged, spinning Myrtenaster's cylinder until light blue Dust appeared at the selector. Horst and the other students moved closer to her, Jaune latching onto Pyrrha as the redhead continued manipulating the train's wheels. With barely enough room to spin, Weiss jammed the tip of Myrtenaster into the rooftop, and instantly a thick wall of ice enveloped the entire team. Much in the same way she had saved Ruby from the Deathstalker on their first day at Beacon, this wall would hopefully hold against great impact. Horst looked around at the ice in wonder, somewhat impressed at what his students could accomplish. The Titan peered through the ice as best he could, the frozen wall skewing his vision with warped images of the tracks ahead. Fortunately, an unyielding wall rapidly approaching wasn't difficult to see even under those conditions.

"Everybody hold on!" The Titan said warningly, and a shudder ran through the clustered students as they all latched onto each other. If he had been paying any particular attention, Horst would have noted with interest how tightly Blake clung to Yang. Pyrrha gave one last surge of effort to stop the wheels, then released her magnetic hold and turned into Jaune, wrapping her arms around his chest even as he turned inward.

Just as the team braced, the engine made contact with the wall. And a lot of things happened at once. The engine and all the cars following broke through the wall as if it were nothing, jumping the tracks and plowing through the wall like a charging bull. Unfortunately, whomever had blocked tunnel had based a lot of the construction on the ground, with less at the top. As such, the train climbed up the fortification like a flight of stairs, losing momentum with every foot traveled upward. That being said, Weiss' frozen fortress shattered as the team slammed into the underside of the concrete sidewalk, thrown from the car they had been standing on as the train broke through the ground and out into the open air.

Switch had been correct; the underground rail system had dumped them out – quite literally – in the middle of Vale's more traveled courtyard. As Weiss' magic failed in the face of Sir Issac Newton, the eight students were sent sprawling in front of the engine even as the train shuddered to a stop. Horst, however, was thrown through the air, having not held onto anyone. The Titan boomeranged toward a small statue of a mounted warrior, the world spinning before him as he flew. The Titan slammed into the statue back first, pulverizing the fancy marble into dust as he plowed right through it to slide across the courtyard. He bounced along a few more meters before coming to a stop near a wooden bench. Pain filled his body as his Light rushed to mend his wounds, his barrier unable to withstand the impact of the train and the statue at the same time. Horst groaned as he ached all over, every breath causing a dull throb in his chest.

"Oh...shit..." He grumbled, and rolled over onto his back.

* * *

Spirit piloted the _Infinite Sky_ over dense forest, pushing her precious ship to make it to the city before the train did. Beside her, Oobleck found himself torn between watching where they were going and counting the number of tree branches that had scraped the underside of the spacecraft. While Spirit could return from the dead with little harm done, Bartholomew had no intention of becoming a messy stain on the forest floor.

The large dropship finally crest the forest and entered Vale proper, flying over the perimeter wall and out above the streets and buildings. Below, several pedestrians pointed upward with frightened and concerned looks. The fact that Oobleck could read their expressions did not renew his faith in their altitude.

"Hope, display the train's estimated path. Get me as close to the tracks as you can." Spirit ordered tersely. She had forgone her helmet in favor of an unrestricted flight view. The cockpit was polarized, so there was no chance of anyone witnessing her Awoken features anyway. The ship tore out over Vale, slowing up abruptly as an orange line stretched out over the holographic display.

"From their communications and passive scans, the train will derail in two minutes. Switch and Summer have already provided an estimated crash vector, though your guess is as good as mine where the train will end up." Hope advised, preening her ceramic feathers as she sat on Oobleck's shoulder. She would have sat on Spirit's instead, but the Hunter was hunched forward and focused on flying. She didn't need talons digging into her arm to distract her when she was flying several tons of metal through the air at high speed. The orange line on screen branched off at the last junction, but all estimated crash vectors pointed to Founder's Square. Spirit cursed and lowered her speed, allowing Oobleck to breathe as they hovered slightly higher over the city's streets. Below them, a wide courtyard stretched out in the center of the shopping district, a few pedestrians here and there taking an afternoon stroll. A single statue stood in the square, a man with a raised sword pointed forward on horseback. To Spirit, anyone with a statue like that had a stick shoved up his ass, but right now there were more important things at hand.

The Hunter punched a few of her controls, and Hope keyed the _Infinite Sky_ 's external speakers to sync with Spirit's comm channel. Down below, the few civilians that were out and about looked up curiously at the hovering spacecraft, many wondering what kind of airship it was.

 _"Attention! Please evacuate the area! A White Fang attack is imminent! I repeat, a White Fang attack is incoming. Everyone should return to their homes and clear the area immediately!"_ Spirit's insistent but calm voice was broadcasted both from her ships speakers as well as the local P.A. System used for events such as this. Down below, the curious stares turned to worry, but the civilians had lived in a world infested with Grimm and marauders long enough to know that when military personnel gave orders to evacuate, you listened. The timer on Spirit's display ticked down from thirty seconds, even as the people below began moving away from the area. Men, women, and children slowly made their way away from Founder's Square, though from their height it still seemed too slow for Spirit's taste. As she watched, the orange line lit up where the train was, and nine little blue lights on the train clustered together. If the others were still on the train, they were in for a rough ride. Still, Horst was a veteran Titan, and the kids he was with were no slouches either. If anyone could come up with a way to survive a train wreck, it was them.

"Ten seconds to impact." Oobleck said warningly, checking his seat restraints for the hundredth time. It wasn't the weirdest day for him, but once the dust settled Oobleck would definitely be recording the days events in his journal for posterity. Provided that he lived, of course.

Just as the train on the holographic display hit the wall, a deep rumble below heralded its ascent. Spirit pulled back on the controls, pushing the thrusters forward and causing the _Infinite Sky_ to climb backwards. It was just in time too, as an explosion of dust and flying concrete overtook the southern part of the courtyard, sending debris high into the air toward the ship. Down below, the mangled front of a train engine protruded from the ground, steam and clouds of dust obscuring the rest of the train. Eight colorful figures rolled out from the engine, all of them making conscious movements to avoid injury. The students were alive. Just as Spirit thought that, a ninth figure, silver and blue in color, hurtled through the air from the explosion. The figure – obvious Horst – spun horizontally in the air with no control of his flight, and slammed into the statue as a result of it. Both Spirit and Oobleck winced in sympathy as the Titan careened right through the statue, skipping across the ground until he skidded to a stop near a bench, lying on his stomach. The Titan slowly rolled onto his back, and Spirit punched the autopilot.

"Come on, Doctor! From what Switch had said, there's a lot of Grimm inbound." She said hastily, grabbing her helmet as she swept past him. Oobleck watched her cloaked form go by, then finished removing his restraints and followed behind as quickly as he dared. Hope remained behind, flying the ship on her own so that Spirit could focus on preparing for combat.

Spirit strode through the crew quarters quickly and took the steps of the ladder into the cargo bay two at a time, the bay door opening at her silent whim. Oobleck followed behind, his thermos extending into the flaming torch he used when diplomacy failed. Spirit scooped up Thorn from its resting place, along with an orange and white Vanguard issue shotgun. Slinging the shotgun onto her back, over top of her cloak, Spirit waited for the cargo bay door to finish opened. Oobleck stood beside her as the wind from their altitude blew into the cargo bay, ruffling his wild green hair and her cloak as it swept past them. Spirit ignored the elements as her hood whipped about, casually checking Thorn's cylinder before rolling it closed with a flick of her wrist. Once she was satisfied with her weapons, the Hunter donned her helmet and secured it with a hiss of air, then looked over at Oobleck.

"Race you to the ground." She said slyly. The doctor smirked but shook his head, shouting over the wind even as Hope lowered the ship to a more acceptable jumping level.

"I'll stay up here and keep an eye on the students, if you don't mind." He cried over the dying wind. A chuckle could be heard from Spirit as she looked back down, even as the dust began to settle from the train wreck. Teams RWBY and JNPR were starting to climb to their feet, clearly aware of the approaching Grimm. Horst was likely still on his back, though Spirit could not see him from their vantage point. Once Hope had brought the _Infinite Sky_ low enough for them to drop, Spirit did just that: she dropped.

The Hunter stepped out into the empty air almost casually, her arms out to her sides as her cloak fluttered upward. The wind rushed up to meet her, air battering against her as she dropped thirty meters from the ship. The rushing air past her was a familiar sound, one she had heard often in the past from drops such as this. As thirty meters quickly dwindled to five, Spirit used her Light to pad her fall, turning what would have been a knee shattering crunch into a light pat as she landed in a crouch. Above her, Oobleck waited for the Hunter to regain her balance before stepping back into the ship, presumably heading toward the cockpit. Hope would continue to fly the _Infinite Sky_ , but it was also the best vantage point for the whole area. Spirit turned and strode toward the train, purpose in her steps as she approached the nasty wound torn in Vale's streets. The first student she reached was Blake, the Faunus groggily standing with her hands on her knees. Spirit patted the girl on the shoulder gently, and Blake waved a hand in response. She was alright.

As Spirit turned to check on the rest of the students, a dreadful wave of noise echoed from the exposed train tunnel. A cacophony of howls, growls, hisses, and roars rose up from the subterranean rail line, and Spirit tensed as the Grimm's cries washed over her. Quickly, she pulled Nora up from the ground next, dusting the girl off as she tried to get the students away from the ingress point. Thorn pulsed with hunger on her side, eager to join battle with the enemy once again. And Spirit knew that the gun was right; the fight wasn't over yet. It was about to get started.


	18. Chapter 18

Poor Horst can't catch a break can he? Well, not as well as he can catch a statue. Before we begin, I must cover something: one reviewer asked me about Bumblebee. My response: romance fics progress relationships quickly, as that is the main theme and the underlying emotions are the focus. This is no romance fic. That being said, romance still happens. I'll give the pairings their due diligence, but this is the Remnant of Light. Not Yang Does Beacon. The steamy love scenes can come later...bow chika wow wow.

 **Chapter 18**

* * *

Air raid sirens filled the air as Horst rolled from his position on the ground. The statue had not made things easy for him on landing, and he was still feeling the sting from the train wreck. Overhead, his blurry vision could barely make out the _Infinite Sky_ , circling overhead as it aimed its guns toward the gaping wound in Vale's streets. Spirit was there then, he realized as his head slowly cleared from the impact.

 _Horst, the party's about to start without you._ Switch said warningly. _Get up!_ The Titan groaned in response and coughed weakly, his Light healing him as quickly as was possible while the ache gradually lessened. It still wasn't fast enough, in his opinion. Still, there wasn't much he could do lying on the ground feeling sorry for himself, so with great reluctance, the veteran Guardian began to stand. As he rolled to his hands and knees, the pain in his back and abdomen flared up in protest, his battered body giving its voice against his will. Another pained groan escaped his lips, Horst slowly managed to plant a foot.

"Pain...is weakness...leaving...the body." He muttered through gritted teeth, a mantra Shaax had beaten into his skull. It was meant to keep him moving, to prevent stops like this that had cost too many Guardians their lives. And it worked. "Pain is weakness...leaving the body." It was less an admission and more of statement this time, uttered louder and more certain as he took his feet. The Titan slowly stood up, straightening his back against the protests of his body. He was the master of his flesh, not the screaming nerves that would beat him down. And with that determined thought in mind, Horst took a step toward the breach. And another. And another.

Soon, the Titan was striding across the courtyard, following the pockmarked concrete he had mangled in his landing. Horst ignored the small craters his body had left in the ground, and instead moved toward the train, and more importantly his students. Even as he took painful steps towards them, his students were rising from the concrete and rock themselves. To his great relief, none of them looked like he felt. Thank the Traveler for small favors. The first two he found were Ren and Nora, the duo brushing each other off and looking no worse for wear beyond a few bruises and scrapes. Ren looked up past Nora when Horst trudged up, the ninja immediately noticing his teacher's ginger footsteps.

"Professor, are you alright?" Ren asked quietly, taking a few steps toward Horst. Nora turned as well, and gasped when she saw the Titan's battered condition. Before either of them could get any closer, Horst held out a hand to stop them.

"I'll live." His response was short and curt. "I'm glad to see you two are alright. Gather the others and get ready. This fight isn't over." Horst stepped past the two, moving towards where Weiss was kneeling next to Ruby's seated form. Ren and Nora looked at each other for a moment, then nodded and stepped over toward the pile of limbs that was Jaune and Pyrrha. The couple had been sent flying upon impact like Horst, but their hold on each other had turned them into an armored rolling ball that had stopped over toward the side. When they reached the two, Pyrrha covered protectively by Jaune's body, the redhead stirred. Ren grabbed Jaune and pulled him off to the side, shaking the knight to wake him as Nora offered a hand to Pyrrha. The champion blinked groggily, but reached up and took Nora's hand nonetheless even as Jaune groaned. Ren patted the blonde on the cheek to hasten his return to consciousness, even as Pyrrha swayed on her feet.

"Whoa...that was some crash." Pyrrha said with a groan. Her head pounded at her temples, the deep throbbing causing the redhead to wince even as her newfound Light began mending the headache. Ren nodded in agreement as Jaune sat up, propping up with one hand as the other rubbed his eyes wearily.

"We have got to stop plowing through walls and stuff. This is starting to hurt." He said woozily, though he was able to grasp Ren's hand and pull himself to his feet. Once his mental faculties were in order, Jaune took a half step toward Pyrrha. His blue eyes ran across her form, searching for any sign of injury. Pyrrha blushed at his inspection, and waved off his concern.

"I'm fine Jaune. Are you alright?" She asked, her gaze lingering on a tear on his right calf. A decent scrape had sheared through his jeans and removed a layer of skin, leaving behind a burn from the friction of landing on concrete like he had. The knight had suffered a mild case of road burn, it seemed.

"I'm good. Where is everyone else?" Jaune asked, looking around at the carnage the train had inflicted. A long whistle floated from his lips as he took in the destruction wrought by the runaway train, and the gaping hole in the ground it had left behind. Closer to the breach itself, the sidewalk had been obliterated by the surfacing train, and dirt and pulverized stone littered the area. From the breach, the howls and screeches of the approaching Grimm could be heard.

"We'll have company soon. Everyone, get ready." Pyrrha urged, and they all looked around for their weapons. Curiously enough, not a single tool came to their eyes as they searched around. Just as panic began to well up in Jaune's chest at the thought of fighting a horde of Grimm barehanded, a shimmer appeared in front of him. Floating at eye level before the knight, his Ghost Bastion blinked slyly at him from within the center of her shield.

"While you four were unconscious, we collected your weapons. No sense in losing the battle before it even begins." She said cheerily. As she finished her statement, Victory, Orchid, and Mjolnir appeared in front of their respective Guardians as well. The Ghosts tittered and worked in unison, and sure enough JNPR's weapons appeared in their hands, pristine and fully loaded as if they had not been thrown clear of a surfacing train. Jaune felt the reassuring weight of Crocea Mors in his hands, then nodded in appreciation.

"Thanks, Bastion. You guys sure do come in handy." Jaune said with a chuckle. Pyrrha, Nora, and Ren echoed their thanks as well, and the Ghosts disappeared from view again. Jaune looked over their weapons, noting with some interest that they appeared polished, sharpened even in all but Nora's case. Having Ghosts really did put them at an advantage. Even as he considered this, a slight shimmer appeared above his calf as both the burned skin and the garment that covered it mended completely, his Light providing a quick mend as his adrenaline began pumping. The blonde looked down at the repair in wonder, and Pyrrha noticed it as well.

"That's pretty convenient. No more torn clothes for us. And she healed your wound, too." She pointed out. Jaune stretched his foot out experimentally to feel the flow of skin, and the flesh at his calf moved flawlessly without pain or sting. Even as he reveled in his own healing, the knight's expression soured as he watched Horst shuffle painfully over toward Ruby and Weiss. Pyrrha noticed his change in demeanor and followed his gaze, and her eye softened as well when she saw the limp in the professor's step.

"If I healed that quickly, I can't imagine what the crash did to Professor Horst." Jaune murmured.

Even as JNPR watched him hobble along, Horst reached Ruby and Weiss, who were seated next to an upturned slab of rock that Weiss was using to lean up against. The heiress was catching her breath, the effort of protecting nine people with her ice expending her Light for the moment. Ruby sat next to her partner, watching the breach for any sign of the approaching Grimm. Horst's injuries had healed somewhat since he had landed, but the pain in his right leg still harassed his movement.

"Well done, Ms. Schnee. You did well in protecting your teammates." Horst over his compliment with a hand, and Weiss looked up at him. Ruby looked up as well, and both were shocked at what they saw. Horst's armor was dinged and scratched, and he held one hand across his midsection. Judging by the ginger way he stepped, their invincible instructor had definitely taken quite the hit. Weiss shared a look of concern with Ruby, but then took Horst's hand. Even with his injuries, the Titan lifted the heiress to her feet effortlessly. Ruby stood up as well.

"If what you showed us about resurrection is true, I almost feel like it was a waste of energy. Would it have been more efficient to simply bring everyone back after the crash?" Weiss asked, looking past Horst to see Spirit and Dr. Oobleck stand at the breach, staring into the exposed tunnel at the approaching Grimm. Horst shook his head.

"Despite the appearance of it, resurrection does not provide immortality to Guardians. The Grimm and the areas they dominate are permeated with the Darkness, and enough of the vile stuff will smother your Light and make it impossible to resurrect without aid. Ghosts rely on Light to survive, and we are too far from the Traveler for your Ghosts to sustain themselves on anything other than your own Light. If the entire team had been wiped out, I doubt everyone would have survived. You saved their lives, Weiss. Do not discount your accomplishments." Horst said, and leaned back to stretch his back. As he did, a dull snap in his chest cavity caused to two girls to wince as he grunted in pain. However, he then moved his arms around with greater ease, as if his ribs were no longer hurting.

"I take it that healing is accelerated as well?" Weiss asked rhetorically. Horst tested his leg gingerly, and put more weight on it than he had previously before the pain began to well in his thigh. The Titan wiped some dirt off of his shoulder and stepped around the pair, effectively trying to walk off the last of his injuries. Pain lanced up his leg as his put his full weight on the injured limb, but he ignored it and strode up beside Spirit as she crouched next to the hole torn by the train. Thorn gleamed in her hand as she held it loosely, ready to unleash its cursed power the moment the Grimm appeared. When he approached, the hunter turned her head to glanced at him from the side.

"You look like hell. I saw you take out that statue by the way. Good form, but your dismount was sloppy. Eight out of ten." The Hunter teased. Horst snorted at her jab and took a knee next to her, the last of his pain subsiding as his Light finally mended the wounds he had suffered.

"You Awoken judges. Nothing pleases you." He shot back, the two looking down into the breach. The afternoon sun cast quite the glare, and the only sign of the approaching horde was the cacophony of cries that grew steadily closer, and Horst summoned Chimera from his inventory.

"I wouldn't say that, stud. It looks like we may have a decent fight heading our way. After this is over, see if we can find Torchwick. He's clever, but there's no way he could mastermind something like this. He's a puppet; let's follow his strings." Spirit said, even as the Grimm drew closer. Any minute now, they'd be emerging from the depths of the underground tunnel and attempt to lay waste to Vale. Even though the civilians had fled the area per Spirit's instructions, the likelihood of casualties was high if they allowed any of the creatures out of the square. They would be focusing on containment, as well as cutting down as many Grimm as possible. Horst took one last look at the breach, then turned back around to face RWBY and JNPR. Blake and Yang had removed themselves from the rubble near the engine of the train, and together the eight students formed a cluster near the statue Horst had destroyed in his flight through the air.

"Alright students, listen up." Horst said loudly, his voice even and calm even despite the howling creatures approaching from the underground tomb. "This is the center of Vale. Civilians are everywhere. If even one Beowulf, one Creep, one Ursa gets past you, people will die. This is our territory that the Grimm tread on. Remind them of that fact. If it runs, cut it down. If it flies, rip it from the sky. These beasts will fight as if they have claim to this world, this city. Break them down and show them that they deserve only oblivion." Horst looked around proudly at the kids he had helped train. Ruby, Weiss, Blake and Yang had been with him since his first day on Remnant. Jaune, Nora, Pyrrha and Ren had proven themselves more than capable of the mantle of Guardian. These eight kids, young and inexperienced, represented everything he hoped for in the fight against the Darkness. Until this moment of time, he had never been more proud.

"This is your first mission as Guardians. You have not received the training of our order, but your own skills will suffice for enemies such as this that are far beneath you. The first to reach us will the fastest, likely Beowulfs and Creeps. Cut them down, but save your ammunition for the larger beasts. Deathstalkers and King Taijitsu will be the main threat, since they can take a lot of damage. Yang and Nora will need to focus on them to bring them down quickly." At his words, the brawler and the hammer wielder nodded to each other and bumped fists. "Weiss, you can augment the abilities of everyone here. I won't ask you to remain out of the fight, but the team as a whole would benefit if you save your glyphs for your teammates. We can do a lot more with you pushing us along."

Weiss felt the indignation of being asked to sideline herself flare up, but she knew the professor was right. "Yes sir. I'll stay ready to assist everyone." The heiress twisted the control rod on Myrtenaster, and the rapier's cylinder spun colorfully until it came to a stop on black.

"Blake, Ren, you two are the most versatile of the group. If someone needs help or gets hurt, it will be up to you to provide support. Listen to the comm, and figure out where you will be needed." The quieter members of RWBY and JNPR nodded in agreement.

"Pyrrha and I can stop them from spreading out." Jaune added, drawing his sword and extending his shield. "Do you want us at the breach or near the edge of the courtyard?" Horst considered it for a moment, his eyes running over the immense hole in the ground. A lot of Grimm would be coming from there. Anyone standing in front of the gaping wound in the street would be the Grimm's first target.

"Stay near the edge, and give them a target. Anything that gets past us, it will be down to you two to turn it back or strike it down." Horst decided. The two shield bearers readied themselves and passed each other, though Jaune let out a surprised yelp when Pyrrha's hand smacked his ass as he passed. The blonde warrior looked back at the champion, his face as red as a tomato as he looked at her in shock. Pyrrha refused to meet his gaze, but from the smile and pink dusting her face, she was getting frisky. Horst just shook his head at the two and turned to Ruby.

"What about me, Professor?" Ruby asked, Crescent Rose slung over her shoulder as if it wasn't an immensely heavy scythe. "What should I do?" Horst beckoned with his hand, and together the two walked over to where Spirit was bent over a shattered column, a thick spool of blue wire rolled over one hand. While she looped it around several heavy chunks of concrete, Horst turned to Ruby.

"You're the senior Guardian over your fellow students, though only by a few weeks. You will be working with Spirit and I to thin the horde here at the source. At best, you can show us what you're made of. At worst, we'll just throw you from side to side at high speed and let you cut them down en masse." Horst shrugged at the last part. Ruby smirked at the backup plan, but inside she was going nuts. Not a Guardian for more than a month, and she was already rolling with the heavies! It was the greatest thing she could imagine for the day, despite the assault on Vale. The redheaded reaper nearly danced on the spot she was so excited to prove exactly what she could do.

"I won't let you down, Professor!" Ruby promised eagerly. Horst chuckled and patted the short girl on the shoulder, her infectious cheer affecting even him. Despite that, however, he knew that there was some chance of casualties, depending on how many Grimm had decided to pursue the train. For all they knew, every beast that had rested in the underground warrens of Mountain Glenn had followed them directly to the heart of Vale.

"I know you won't, Ruby. Now get ready. I'm sure Spirit has a surprise ready for these creatures." Horst said with an invisible grin. Together, the two turned to see Spirit stand up from a crouch and dust off her hands, and the breach was much different from when they had last seen it. The blue wire she had been wrapping around stones and rebar now crisscrossed the entire hole like a spider's web. There were several anchor points, all tethered around rebar and tough pillars that had survived the train's collision with the underground support beams. Whatever arrived first would snare itself in Spirit's wire, and block the beasts behind it from moving past.

"Spirit, is that sapphire wire?" Horst asked, a spark of Arc Light jumped across his gauntlets in anticipation as she turned around. From the way she cocked her head to the side, Horst knew the Hunter was smiling.

"Maybe. What better to welcome our guests than with a highly conductive net? I hope you got the surge, stud. Because these guys don't impress easily." Spirit walked past Horst quickly, patting him on the bicep and wrapping her arm around Ruby's shoulder. Without pausing in step, the Hunter turned their little protege around and marched away from the breach slightly, even as the others finished taking their positions. Ruby protested at first, craning her neck to see behind them as Horst widened his stance, even more electricity dancing across his fingers as he gathered his Light.

"Spirit, what is he doing?" Ruby asked, just as they stopped and turned back toward the booby trapped entrance to the subway. The Hunter didn't respond at first, drawing her dagger from her hip and flipping it across her knuckles effortlessly while her other hand pulled Thorn.

"Titans are useful for a lot of things, sweetheart. They can be a wall, a tank, or even a battering ram in the middle of a fight. In this particular case, Horst is acting as a battery. When the first Grimm shows up, he's going to light up the whole net, and kill everything that tries to force its way through." Spirit explained, settling into a stance as they waited for the approaching Grimm. Even now, over the crackling energy that Horst gathered within and around him, Ruby could hear the rapid footsteps of the approaching Grimm. They had arrived.

The first thing to show up was a Creep, the two legged dinosaur looking Grimm with sharp teeth and tails. This Creep saw Spirit's net and slid to a stop, squawking in surprise at the unexpected obstacle. Stopping, however, proved to be a poor choice. The rest of the charging Grimm, a few more Creeps and the larger Beowulfs, catapulted into the lead Creep and pushed it into the net. Where one or two could have carefully ducked through the net, the huge press of bodies made navigating the trap impossible. The conductive wire hummed as it drew taut, straining against iron and concrete and stone as the confused mass of Grimm attempted to press past the wire. Attempted, and failed.

Horst grinned savagely as the lightning coursed through him, and for a few brief seconds, he felt like a god. These pitiful creatures screeched and roared before him as if they had a place in this world – in HIS world. They were woefully wrong, savage and thoughtless beasts who could not even comprehend their own stupidity. Horst cackled madly as he stepped to the wire, snapping teeth and slashing claws inches from his faceplate as he brought all of his energy to bear. Monsters only understood pain and ferocity, for that was all they could inflict. It was time for this Titan to speak their language.

When Horst's hands wrapped around the wire in front of him, the effect was immediate. The network of sapphire wire became charged instantly, every strand of the blue wire lighting up with a brilliant white-blue sheen as electricity danced across the net. Every Grimm caught in its snare screeched and howled in pain, Creeps and Beowulfs alike straining to avoid the unrelenting power than ran from Horst's gauntlets into the net that trapped them. After only a few seconds, the first few Grimm disintegrated entirely, nothing but dust and charred bone failing away before another Grimm replaced it. The horde remained unfazed as they continued to charge the net, the wires remaining taut even as Grimm fell two, three, sometimes even four at a time. Horst continued to send pulses of Arc Light through the wire, howling savagely with delight as every beast that stepped up to prove its mettle was found wanting and perished.

The press of bodies stressed the wire to the limit, but Spirit's equipment held out. Sapphire wire was an essential component in Hunter armor and gear, and was designed to sustain a current such as Horst's for some time. Unfortunately, the forces being enacted upon it while being charged did not bode well for the lifespan of the wire. Horst felt his reserves draining as even more Creeps slammed into their dying brethren, but it was the appearance of an Ursa that forced him to change tactics. Whereas the Beowulfs and Creeps did not possess the raw strength to force their way through the charged net, an Ursa had no problem adding its strength and bulk to the mix. Horst grunted and released his hold on the net, dropping a lightning grenade to keep the wire charged while he backed off. The spike of a grenade affixed itself to the ground, pointed toward the breach and the angry Ursa even as the beast made contact with the net. All residual energy left over from Horst's own reserves rushed the Ursa, causing it to howl in pain. However, the large Grimm remained alive and angry, smashing its shoulder into the net with great force. Horst backpedaled away from the Grimm as several anchors came up from the Ursa's thrashing. Unfortunately for the beast, the end of the lightning grenade opened, and a torrent of angry thunder erupted in a great burst.

The Arc energy tore into the Ursa, disintegrating it entirely with the first burst. The Beowulfs and Creeps that had survived Horst's static fingers were blasted away as well, the spurting shocks forcing their bodies to blow away in clouds of black dust. Beyond the net, which now hung down limply both from the Ursa's efforts and Horst's overcharged grenade, more Grimm circled cautiously as the grenade ran out of juice. As one last rebellious arc of lightning crossed the empty breach, Horst reached the line where Spirit and Ruby waited. The Hunter and their reaper protege pointed their weapons toward the breach, and Horst spun as his hand went to Chimera on his back. The black flicked out and dug into the ground, carving a half circle into the concrete as he slid to a stop. Where the Ursa had torn down the net, more of the Grimm crept forward cautiously, wary of Horst's trap and grenade. Most of the creatures yet to emerge from the tunnel were the heavy hitters, many Ursa and a few Deathstalkers clamoring for a chance to dig in to the tasty, fearful humans.

* * *

 **Hell to Pay** by _Miracle of Sound_

* * *

"Dr. Oobleck, let them have it!" Spirit snarled, even as the first Ursa crept from the underground tunnel and reared its masked head. The large bear-like creature roared its defiance toward the three Guardians before it, and its brethren within the tunnel let forth a series of howls, hisses, and cries that made it seem as if the gates of Hell itself had opened. And the creatures likely felt as unstoppable as the forces of Hell, but for one thing.

Up above the courtyard, still hovering in place patiently, was the _Infinite Sky_ , its twin miniguns primed on either side of the cockpit. Dr. Oobleck sat in the gunner's seat in front of the vacant pilot's seat, with Hope remote piloting to keep the ship from falling out of the sky. The guns in Oobleck's control were the only ones weak enough to tear through the Grimm without leveling the city block. If the professor used any of the heavy armaments, the rounds would chew through and likely strike some supports or the concrete foundations that the city sat on. Enough saturated fire, and he'd be opening up sinkholes in other parts of the city.

"Roger." The green haired caffeine addict said as he heard Spirit's call over the radio, and wrapped both hands around the fire control sticks. As he took control, the miniguns on either side of the cockpit began rotating, their six barrels spinning up slowly as the Ursa took another step forward. Two circles appeared on the holographic display in front of Oobleck, and a green line slowly danced clockwise around the circumference of the circles. Once the line completed its rotation, a crosshair appeared in each circle. The guns were ready to fire. With a savage grin uncommon to the intellectual Huntsman, he squeezed the triggers gleefully.

Down below, the Ursa offered a final roar and charged, galloping toward the three in front of it at impressive speed. In fact, the beast came within arm's length of Horst just before the storm hit. The low whirring of spinning guns quickly became an incredibly loud buzz as twelve barrels spun rapidly on the ship above the Guardians, and rounds spewed forth in droves. As several rounds per second rained down from above, it sounded as if everyone had angry wasps in their ears, the guns firing so fast that each individual report of a round being fired bled together into a haze of gunfire. Blake seemed particularly affected, her bow flattened to her head to protect her delicate hearing. The Ursa and its Grimm brethren whined and squawked in surprise, before the onslaught of molten metal pushed them back into the tunnel. The rush of bodies that had attempted to follow the Ursa out of the tunnel quickly became a wall that prevented retreat, and once again the sheer number of Grimm turned against the creatures as Oobleck's fire rained down upon them from on high. A Deathstalker managed to weather a few rounds and swung its claw wildly, knocking a chunk of concrete out of the way and widening the breach further for more Grimm to escape out of. The giant arachnid had little more to do than that, as the concentrated fire of both guns turned the armored Grimm into a honeycomb of body parts as it collapsed. The scorpion had provided an opening through Oobleck's fire, however, and a few Beowulfs and Creeps managed to slip out past the hail of bullets. The stupid rushed toward Horst, Spirit, and Ruby, and were dealt with quickly and brutally. The more intelligent Grimm dodged around the front line, and were instead engaged by Ren and Blake. The two ninjas dropped down from on high upon the trio of Creeps that slipped past the Guardians up front, and Storm Flower cut down one of them in a hail of bullets. The other two found themselves skewered by each blade of Gambol Shroud, all three collapsing to dissolve into dust.

Oobleck continued his selective fire from above for a few more seconds, watching the Grimm literally melt away as his rounds chewed through their ranks. A few more Deathstalkers emerged and met their ends, allowing more of the smaller Grimm out into the courtyard. Pyrrha, Jaune, Blake, and Ren made quick work of the stragglers, while the others watched Oobleck's guns grow red hot before the thermal locks kicked in, silencing the miniguns lest their barrels start to melt. Once the fire died off, the surviving Grimm ceased to hesitate. Waiting had cost their brethren their lives, several times over. If they waited any longer, the crafty humans would find another way to wipe them out. So the creatures charged, a black and white wave of slavering mouths, glinting claws, and gnashing teeth as they flooded outward from the breach. So dense was the press of bodies, it was different to tell where one Grimm ended and the other began. Even the Deathstalkers, their white armored carapaces glinting in the sunlight, were hidden by the sheer mass of Ursa, Beowulfs, and Creeps charging forward from the depths.

"Give them hell!" Horst roared, and swung Chimera in a sweeping arc that sent Arc energy sizzling towards the breach. A trio of Creeps and a Beowulf were unlucky enough to catch the bolt, and all four Grimm died in agony as the electricity coursed through their bodies. Before their corpses hit the ground and began to smoke, however, eight more Grimm took their places. The battle was joined. Even as the river of creatures flowed outward from them, Horst, Spirit, and Ruby swung, fired, and crushed everything they could as they slowly moved backward. As the Beowulfs and Creeps charged by, swipes and snapping jaws forced the three Guardians to block, duck, and otherwise evade, further hindering their ability to hand out death. Spirit fanned the hammer on Thorn as much as she slashed with her dagger. Ruby twirled Crescent Rose around her, slamming the Grimm into the ground beneath her and slashing as her momentum built. The two lighter Guardians jumped and dashed around, leaving behind the foes that attacked them in favor of unsuspecting prey as they zipped to and fro from the breach. Horst, however, was not as maneuverable, and therefore provided a more brutal strategy. Anything that stood before him died.

Three Beowulfs pushed up toward him in an effort to overwhelm him with sweeping strikes and their body weight. They did not realize the strength a Titan possessed, however. A front kick sent the middle wolf rolling away back into the hole, the other coming in closer as Horst swung a vicious haymaker. The blow knocked to left Beowulf's head completely around, breaking its neck and sending it into the horde the rushed on his left side. The remaining wolf dove toward Horst's unprotected side, only for him to continue the motion of the punch and spin. As his body turned, Chimera came around and sliced the Beowulf in half completely, a red line separating the two parts from the beast's open jaws all the way down to its haunches.

Even as the three attempted to stem the tide of Grimm plowing upward from the breach, Blake and Ren soon found plenty of trade as the creatures entered the courtyard. Blake shadow stepped above a pair of Creeps and decapitated them, the charging Grimm tumbling to the ground before their bodies knew what was going on. Blake continued her graceful arc and landed on her feet, separating Gambol Shroud into its twin blades and dancing a myriad of slashes into the exposed belly of an Ursa just as it raised up on its haunches. The bear-like Grimm trembled as its body shut down, and collapsed to the ground with a loud thud. Off to Blake's right, a hail of bullets from Storm Flower peppered a pack of Beowulfs, all four stumbling as Ren closed the gap between himself and the creatures. The ninja slid in among the wolves and began slashing and kicking, tearing them down before the Grimm could so much as defend themselves. A few slashes across the back sank two to the ground, the third felled by an entire magazine dumped into the back of its head. The final wolf swung its claws out toward Ren in a desperate attempt to avenge its packmates, but the calm young Guardian blocked the strike and pulled the Grimm's arm forward, tossing it over his shoulder and into the ground. The pistol in his right hand retracted into his sleeve as his arm came back, and a stout palm strike to the snout forced the Grimm's head into the ground and then oblivion.

With no heavy hitters in sight yet, Yang and Nora decided to play with the small fries until the Taijitsu and the Deathstalkers arrived. Spent shotgun shells from Ember Celica and flying Grimm bodies filled the air as the two brawlers tore Beowulfs, Creeps, and Ursa apart. Yang and Nora rarely fought together, but the basic rule that they understood was to give each other enough space to swing. Yang ducked under and Ursa's swipe and knocked it back with a nasty uppercut, her gauntlets discharging as she elbowed the beast and sent it rolling away. A second one stepped up to her challenge, only to be bowled over by a flying Creep. Yang's eyes widened in surprise as a second airborne Creep flew over her head, inches from flowing blonde hair as it careened painfully into the ground.

"Nora, watch it!" Yang called out, a tick mark on her forehead as a third Grimm, this one a Beowulf, flew past her. Where Nora stood, few Grimm littered the ground near her. Instead, a rough circle of pulverized bodies slowly faded into ether as the valkyrie swung and swung and swung her mighty hammer. Nora made contact every time she spun, sometimes high and sometimes low, but no matter how many Grimm that flooded past the three at the mouth of the breach she did not fall. The unfortunate side effect of Nora dancing giddily around as she smashed, clobbered, and swung for the fences was that Yang was catching bodies.

"So~rry!" Nora said in a sing song voice, swinging and smashing as a few Beowulfs dove for her legs. The orange haired girl somersaulted upward and slammed her hammer down, smashing both wolves' heads into chunks of bone and whatever their bodies were comprised of, black smoke and red spatter covering the ground. Nora landed in a crouch next to the corpses and grasped her Magnhild near the head. She spun the long shaft around her back and smack a sneaky Creep across the face. The Grimm yelped from the strike and stumbled into the ground, struggling to rise before Nora could bring her hammer around to bear. It did not.

On the far side of the courtyard, a sparse few made it past the others to bother Jaune. The leader of JNPR slashed two Beowulfs apart before the Grimm could properly approach him, almost more easily than he could have expected. As the corpses faded away, and the rest of them Grimm slowly made their way too him through the other Guardians, Jaune looked down at his sword as if he had never wielded it before. In his previous encounters with Grimm and training sessions with Pyrrha, Crocea Mors had always handled beautifully. Even during his more rigorous training sessions, the sword had gradually grown lighter as he became stronger and more accustomed to the weapon. But now, it was as if the sword weighed nothing at all. Either his sword had been sharpened by Bastion, or if he were somehow stronger. In either case, or even both, Jaune was feeling a lot more confident as the next Ursa, an Ursa Major at that, stepped up to test him. The beast stepped up the lowered courtyard and snarled at the blonde, but Jaune simply raised his shield and planted his feet. The bear Grimm roared its defiance and charged, ducking its shoulder to ram to smaller Guardian off of his feet to be mauled at its leisure.

That was not in Jaune's playbook.

As the heavy footsteps of the beast sent vibrations through the soles of his shoes, Jaune rolled right and covered his head with his shield, serrated claws dancing sparks across its pristine surface as he diverted a strike that would have likely dropped him for good. Jaune stood up and pushed with his shield, sending the arm and weight of the Ursa off balance and away from him. The beast stepped back in surprise, unaccustomed to its immense bulk being diverted so suddenly. With its arms flailing and its unprotected belly exposed, Jaune's thrust couldn't fail. Crocea Mors dove into the Grimm's black flesh, slicing upward and opening a trail of crimson as he cut the Ursa cleanly in half. The sword glided through shadow with very little resistance, to the point that Jaune had to restrain himself as the blade exited the beast in order to prevent overstepping. Jaune settled into his stance and raised his shield for another attack, but the large Ursa collapsed to the ground and began to smolder instead.

 _That was a lot easier than I thought it was going to be._ Jaune mused to himself, even as more Grimm flooded to courtyard. He nudged the large, disintegrating corpse in somewhat disbelief, still trying to wrap his head around the strength boost. Was it a part of being a Guardian? Other than the gradual improvement of training with Pyrrha, he had no other explanation for the ease that he was swinging his sword. At the very least, it was something to discuss with Horst and Pyrrha after they were done with this mess. Even as he thought that, a half dozen of the smaller breeds of Grimm came snarling toward him. Jaune let out a long, calming breath, then readied his sword once more.

Across the courtyard, Pyrrha was dancing a graceful pirouette as more strays attempted to delve into the city. Four Beowulfs dove toward her, and Pyrrha was only too glad to include them in her dance. The champion jumped over the snarling Grimm and loosed her shield from her arm, planting it underneath both feet. In the tumble of bodies beneath her, the Grimm were too tangled in each other's limbs to stop the hammer blow of her shield coming down. A series of cracks and pained whines heralded her impact, but there were too many beneath her for the blow to kill. Instead, she spun around sharply, dragging Milo around the circumference of her shield and slashing through flesh and mask. Just as Jaune had discovered across the way, her blade passed through the Grimm almost too cleanly, causing the champion to stumble as the excess force carried through. Pyrrha rolled forward with her momentum and slashed above her head, wounding an Ursa that sought to take advantage of her momentary distraction. The bear Grimm howled in agony as its claw fell to the ground, the large beast stepping back and rearing up as Pyrrha called her shield to her. The champion sprinted forward and tucked herself behind her shield, slamming it into the Ursa's chest and sending the creature onto its back. Before the handicapped beast could adjust to its position on the ground, Milo dove into its forehead. Pyrrha pulled her sword free and examined the edge, noting the faint white outline that surrounded the blade. As Pyrrha's green eyes examined a weapon she knew very well, she noticed that the faint white aura extended to her as well. It was as if her aura was as strong and prominent as Jaune's, but was more likely the barrier provided by her Light if Horst and Spirit were to be believed. Evidently, there were more perks to being a Guardian than the wardrobe corrections and convenient equipment management.

Stationed in the center of the courtyard, Weiss struggled to keep up with her teammates and defend herself at the same time. Blake, Yang, Nora, and Ren were doing an excellent job of running interdiction on any Grimm that made it past the trio at the breach, but even so the Schnee found herself driving Myrtenaster's unyielding tip through more than a few skulls. Thankfully, only a few stray Creeps and a single Beowulf had fought free enough to harass her, leaving the girl up to her own devices as she quietly kept the fight shifted in the Guardians' favor. As Nora dancing around swinging her hammer, Weiss charmed a few glyphs to take blows for the valkyrie, small white symbols appearing in mid air just long enough to take a strike or divert a Grimm from tackling Nora and upsetting her dance of death. On Ren's end, she placed a series of spinning white glyphs with snowflakes in the middle all around him. The ninja ducked under a slash from a Beowulf and rewarded its owner with a kick that sent the Grimm flying, then looked around and observed Weiss' creations. As more Grimm closed in, one of them a Beowulf Alpha, Ren locked eyes with Weiss and nodded. Instead of engaging the enemy or waiting for them to come to him as he had done before, Ren instead somersaulted backwards to land with his feet planted on one of the floating glyphs. As soon as he made contact and kicked off, the Schnee's magic did its work and sent him flying toward the nearest Grimm, a Creep, and he delivered a savage axe kick that drove the creature's head completely into the ground before it started smoking immediately. As soon as Ren landed, he jumped to another glyph, and soon four Creeps and a Beowulf Alpha collapsed from a vicious combination of super powered punches, kicks, and slashes from Storm Flower robbed them of their life force. The Alpha was covered in so many crisscrossed slashes, the red lines looked like tiger stripes down his front as he fell to the ground with a pitiful whine.

Back at the mouth of the breach, the onslaught of Grimm charging forward thinned, but widened at the same time. The beasts coming through were no longer Creeps and Beowulfs, but rather the larger varieties were coming into play. Ruby bounced off of a decapitated Ursa just in time to narrowly dodge the open mouth of a King Taijitsu, its black head passing so closely underneath her feet that its rough scales disturbed her cloak. Spirit rolled to the side as another, white head whipped past her as well. This left Horst as the only one tacking the oncoming Grimm, and he was forced to step up his game as the other two broke away. More and more Grimm pushed towards him, as many targeting him as not. Chimera swapped to his right hand as his left drew his pistol, and the snarls and growls of the Grimm were interrupted by the bark of his sidearm. Horst discharged his weapon into the onslaught of black shapes as quickly as he could, blocking the flashing claws and teeth as he stepped back. Every bullet slammed into a Grimm and either downed the creature or injured it, but there were simply too many. Fifteen rounds expired within five seconds, and the slide locked back and forced him to drop the mag and swing Chimera in front of him in a wide arc. The static of electricity followed the sword, and a contagious storm cloud set up in front of him. The flood of bodies halted as the Arc Light energized all that passed through the cloud, with bolts of angry lightning jumping to other bodies and earning him enough breathing room to reload. Instead of drawing from his waist, Switch materialized a fresh magazine in mid air, and Horst swept his pistol through the air and caught it in the mag well flawlessly, thumbing the slide release and ready to fire again. Even with his lull in the onslaught, Horst was forced to back up as well.

"Yang, Nora, you're up! Get these snakes out of my courtyard!" Horst roared, his anger and the adrenaline of the fight evident in his voice as it blazed across the channel. Without looking to see if the two brawlers were following his instructions, Horst swung Chimera to his back and holstered his pistol. The Titan held his arms out to the sides and clenched them, Arc energy racing across them as his Light flared in preparation for what he was about to do. More to that point, a golden, spinning glyph appeared underneath his feet courtesy of Weiss. The amplifying ward sent Horst's charge into overdrive, and a savage grin crossed his face as the energy built up within him and around him, a whirling storm that not even he could contain, screaming for release as the horde surged forward. A poor move, since he had more surge than they could ever handle. The Titan jumped back and Lifted away from the clamoring masses, though from the dwindling numbers the horde was nearly done. As he glided upward, a storm of energy surrounded him as Arc energy danced from his fingers, arms, legs, and across his barrel chest as he climbed slowly into the air. Below him, Ruby and Spirit picked up the slack and sent piercing rounds into the oncoming Grimm, each spike from Thorn and each round from Crescent Rose passing through several of the creatures at a time for how they were crammed together. Ruby's victims simply collapsed, the others stampeding over them, while those afflicted by Spirit's wicked bite howling and whimpered in agony as the foul magics of Dredgen Yor's fallen weapon did work on their bodies. The railroad spike that penetrated their bodies and embedded itself in the wall behind them didn't do them any favors either. As Horst continued to hover above the crowd and gather his Light, Spirit pulled on Ruby's cloak and backed off, slashing the throat of an encroaching Ursa even as they retreated.

"Everyone get back!" She ordered, even as she hauled Ruby into a retreat. The reaper yelped in surprise as they left the professor hanging above the Grimm like a bear bag full of meat, the stupid beasts unaware that death and oblivion floated just out of reach. "Horst, we're clear when you are ready! Ren, Blake, clear this place up!"

"Got it." Blake responded, and he and Ren crossed up the center of the courtyard as the final surge of Grimm pushed even more trade their way. Blake slashed a flurry of cuts into a group of Beowulfs, her Semblance luring them into deadly openings as the wolves clawed at an empty copy, a mirage witnessed shortly before they met their end. Ren fell like lightning from the sky and spun an Ursa's head around completely, and kicked the larger Grimm into a trio of Creeps. Before the creatures could escape their fallen companion's mass, Ren's pistols put them down in a hail of fire. Blake and Ren shared a nod of mutual respect, then went back to it even as Ruby and Spirit assisted them. The mouth of the breach was lost, and the center of the courtyard was becoming the primary battlefield.

Yang and Nora stepped up to their role quickly, forgoing the pipsqueaks and leaving the smaller Grimm to the others as the two tackled a Taijitsu head apiece. Yang leaped upward with assistance from Ember Celica, the shotgun blast heralding a vicious uppercut that snapped the black serpent's head upward. The blonde kicked off from the exposed throat and danced backward, before another blast from her gauntlets sent her into the top of its head. The up down combo drove the snake's head flat into the ground, a wounded his escaping from the steel trap its mouth became in the wake of Yang's attack. The blonde finished the serpent off with an drop, slamming both fists downward into its head as she landed hard. A withering cry escaped the Taijitsu, before the subtle hiss like flowing sand indicated its passing. Unfortunately, the clacking claws of a Deathstalker prevented Yang from enjoying her victory. As the blonde jumped toward her next opponent with a determined grunt, Nora stood in front of the white head of the King Taijitsu expectantly, her hammer ready as it swayed side to side like a dancing cobra. Unlike its other half, the white head of the snake was cautious, and would not be caught by surprise by the valkyrie. The Grimm listed to one side for a moment longer than usual, then curled toward Nora from the side, a serpentine version of a haymaker as the beast opened its mouth wide and splayed its fangs. Nora slid backwards and smacked the snake away with her hammer, and did so three more times as it refused to give up the fight. After her last hit pushed it painfully and forcefully away from her, the snake shook its head and snarled in fury. Unfortunately, this display kept it from noticing that Magnhild was no longer a hammer. Just as its mouth opened wide to hiss its displeasure, Nora sent a grenade straight down its throat. The Taijitsu clamped its mouth shut comically as the charge detonated, and a pink puff of smoke escaped its ridged lips as it collapsed to the ground with a mighty thud. Just as Yang had been so hurried, a trio of Ursa prevented Nora from celebrating her victory beyond a little skip and a sinister giggle as she moved on to her next victims.

Hanging above the breach and the remaining Grimm that weren't engaged, Horst finally felt satisfied with the power that coursed through him. No, he felt beyond satisfied; he felt fucking _great_. He was overcharged, a torrent of energy within him vying to escape whether he willed it or not. The crackle of energy danced outward from him, until he floated like a bright star above the courtyard. The Beowulfs, Ursa, and Creeps that remained stared up at him, transfixed upon his shining form as a school of fish might stare at an angler fish. So distracted were they by his shimmering, stormy form, they failed to recognize the power that he exuded. Horst howled with mad laughter as he clenched his fists, and the arcing current that danced across his body gathered itself into two great balls of light around his fists. He Lifted higher, roughly twenty feet above the tallest Ursa's head, and every gleaming red eye followed him as he flew upward slowly. While the Grimm were distracted, Spirit gathered the others and began pushed them towards the edge of the courtyard.

"Come on, we have to move. There won't be much left after this, and I can't guarantee we could survive a surge of that magnitude." The woman ordered insistently, and together the eight trainees followed her toward the buildings. Jaune and Pyrrha lead the way with Ren and Nora close behind, but RWBY brought up the rear slowly even as they made it to the relative safety of a bakery.

"Spirit, what's he doing? Where's all that power coming from?" Weiss asked, as she and the others stared as transfixed upon Horst's form as the Grimm he hovered over. Spirit rolled Thorn's cylinder open and discharged the spent ammo case and slotted a new one in its place, then placed the hand cannon on her thigh. The fight was over, as soon as Horst dropped the bomb, so to speak.

"Titans by nature are capable of incredible power, and often try to outgun their enemies. Strikers harness Arc Light, and their greatest weapon is the Fist of Havoc. With some variations, the Fist can turn one hundred feet of open ground into galvanized rock." Spirit said calmly, and swept her cloak in front of her to shield from the incoming debris. "You guys might want to take cover."

Just as the trainees took her advise, most hiding behind Weiss, Jaune, and Pyrrha as an ice wall and two shields were raised, Horst finally ceased his flight and fell to the ground. The Grimm roared and snarled as he fell toward them, clamoring for his flesh and meat and bone even as he descended upon them. A clearing of six feet opened up beneath him as they prepared to dive upon him in with all of their might. Had they stopped his hands from touching the ground, the Grimm might have stood a chance. Roughly forty snarling Creeps, Beowulfs, and Ursa surrounded him immediately. A few more meters out, three Deathstalkers and a single headed Taijitsu waited their turn as well. When Horst's feet hit the ground, none of the beasts were ready.

The Titan brought his fists down and slammed them into the ground with all the force of a god, and discharged the Arc energy he had accumulated with Weiss' help. A lightning strike climbed into the air from where he made contact, and a wave of electrical wrath pushed out from him in all directions. Every Grimm that made contact with the wave vaporized instantly, their cries drowned out by the bright flash and loud crack of thunder as their forms danced with the Arc energy that turned them into dust. The blast flowed outward and sent brick, stone, and dust flying outward with the surging energy. The Deathstalkers and King Taijitsu fared little better than their smaller brethren as they too were turned to charged, dancing atoms in the wind. Even as all of the Grimm perished instantaneously, the wave of energy continued outward. The blast petered out before it reached the edges of the courtyard, but the dust and shock wave carried farther than the Arc Light. Windows on every side of the courtyard shattered from the concussive force of the Fist of Havoc, and a wash of dust and gravel peppered every store front in the area as the blast flowed outward. Spirit's cloak fluttered around her, the reinforced fabric and her own Light barrier protecting her from the debris. Weiss' ice wall weathered the blast as well, though a single chip of stone broke through to plink off of Jaune's shield. The students marveled at the loud blast, and even more amazing was the quiet that followed after. Almost as soon as Horst's attack began, it was over. The champing of jaws, clicking claws, and roars of monsters had all been removed from the area, leaving behind an eerie silence that felt too much like everyone had simply gone deaf. Spirit let her cloak fall from her grasp after a brief inspection, her Light infusion protecting the fabric from harm. Once by one, Ruby, then Jaune, and eventually the rest of the students peaked around their barrier to survey the aftermath.

And aftermath was an accurate term to use. Where once white cobblestone and carefully cut brick had provided a nice and flat area for community activity and the respectful statue of a great Huntsman had stood, there remained only a white plain of pulverized dirt. Horst's attack had driven the stone from the ground and leveled the entire area like a baker would flatten dough. There were no decaying corpses or any indication that the Grimm had been there, save for the breach that sat near the edge of the courtyard. Every building face had been coated in a dark gray powder, the result of converting everything into dust and blasting it all over the place. In the center of the desolate plain, Horst himself sat with a knee underneath him, his arms across the other as he caught his breath. Spent shell casings, ejected magazines, broken mask fragments from the Grimm; everything had been eradicated. Even as Ruby hesitantly stepped toward Horst, her feet leaving prints in the faint layer of dust that covered the ground, the _Infinite Sky_ dropped down from the sky and hovered where it had previously. Just before Horst's attack, Hope had pulled the ship back lest it be knocked out of the sky by the powerful strike. With the Ghost remote piloting from Spirit's position, Oobleck stood at the open cargo bay, surveying what had once been a normal courtyard in downtown Vale. Now, it looked as if a bomb had gone off.

"Oh my word." The history professor murmured to himself, somewhat at a loss at the destruction wrought before him. He had heard Horst and Spirit's accounts of battles on far away planets against legions of clamoring evil forces, but to see a Guardian's might unleashed against such a number of Grimm...it shook him. He had every ounce of faith that they were allies, that much was certain. But the doctor was just beginning to realize the full measure behind the title of 'Titan'.

"Professor Horst!" Ruby's cry split the silence as she trotted quickly across the ashen expanse, her teammates close behind her as they rushed over to the crouched form at the epicenter of the blast. Horst raised his head slowly to see them coming towards him, and raised an arm in futile defense to keep Ruby from plowing into him and forcing him onto the ground. The rest of RWBY dog piled on him as well, even Weiss to much shock and amusement. JNPR restrained themselves and stood around the stack of Guardians, laughing as the professor struggled to free himself from the tangle of bodies that was his students. Last to approach was Spirit, her smirk hidden by the helmet that obscured her Awoken features.

"Alright alright, you lot. That's enough. I need to breathe!" Horst protested, though everyone could hear the laugh in his voice. The Titan slowly pushed Ruby off of him and waved his arm to clear the others as well, and slowly gained his feet with a shuddering breath. The Fist of Havoc had taken a lot out of him, considering that they had been fighting nearly nonstop since the previous night. His Light had been up to the task, but Horst didn't have much else in reserve at this point. Even as Spirit walked up and patted his shoulder, the slight nudge was almost enough to knock him over again.

"Way to go, stud. Ozpin is going to have kittens when he sees what you did to the courtyard." She teased. Horst looked around at the effects of his attack, and shrugged nonchalantly. Honestly, he'd take broken cobblestone over a city under attack any day. It wasn't just his newfound respect and protectiveness of Remnant that spurred that feeling; to any Titan, enemy forces behind friendly lines was something that needed to be addressed immediately. Commander Zavala started every newblood Titan patrolling the Wall, which protected the Last City from the forces of the Darkness. Holding the line and keeping the bad guys out was ingrained in the mind of every Guardian that called themselves Titans. To see the enemy past the gates made his blood boil.

"He can bill me. At least we didn't suffer any casualties." Horst replied shortly, suddenly aware of how tired he felt. He had pulled some long operations before, but by the Traveler he was tired. Spirit seemed to notice his exhaustion, and she looked up to wave the _Infinite Sky_ down and provide a rest for the Guardians. Even as Horst took a knee once more, she looked around at the students as well. Jaune blinked rapidly, his stance lax as he returned Crocea Mors to his hip and looked out over the destruction Horst had caused. Weiss was using Ruby for support, and Blake leaned against Yang almost asleep standing up. Even Pyrrha, considered the most hardy and accomplished of them all, held herself a little less upright than normal as the fatigue of their long mission washed over the team. Now that the threat was handled and they were back on friendly ground, the adrenaline that had been keeping them going and ready to fight slowly ebbed from their systems, and their bodies reminded them that sleep was a necessary part of their schedule, with a vengeance. The clearing that Horst had created was big enough for the large ship to land, and the _Infinite Sky_ angled to where the cargo bay faced toward the party. Another wash of dust and bits of gravel assaulted the group as the ship slowly set down next to them, Oobleck stepping off of the cargo bay door as soon as it landed. The doctor ran forward and examined everyone hurriedly, and was relieved to find that the worst thing anyone had was a bad case of exhaustion. Only Spirit stood undaunted, her Light sustaining her far beyond the students' meager energy levels and Horst's spent one. The Hunter pulled up on Horst's arm, and picked up the large man to sling his arm over her shoulders. With most of his weight on her, Spirit slowly lead Horst and the rest of the team onto the _Infinite Sky_ , where showers and beds awaited.

Oobleck watched them all go, still reeling from the display of power he had seen and preferring to process it quietly himself. It was just as good that he decided to stay outside, as movement near the train that had caused the breach caught his attention. Even as the doctor watched, a hatch was thrown open from the engine of the train, and faint coughing could be heard. As quick as ever, Oobleck crossed the desolate plain and stood in front of the train as a man in a white coat and bowler hat slowly dragged himself clear of the wreckage.

Roman grimaced in pain as he slowly lifted himself clear of the hatch. Never in all his days of being a criminal mastermind had his everything hurt so much as it did at that moment. He winced again and looked around for any signs of the group that had attack the train, as well as any lackeys of his or Grimm. The White Fang were nowhere to be found, and Neo wasn't to be seen either. In fact, the place he found himself in seemed familiar, yet...not.

"Wasn't this place done in that really gaudy cobblestone?" Roman wondered out loud as he dropped down from the engine's top, stumbling as his abused legs took more force than they bargained for. The criminal mastermind slumped to his knees and winced again, though he turned his head slightly as crunching gravel to right indicated another person. Roman opened his eyes blearily, and rolled his visible one upon seeing the incredibly energetic history professor from Beacon standing over him, arms crossed and face expressionless.

"Hey there pal." Roman groaned, the pain of the impact hindering his sense of humor. "Any chance we could handle this whole Huntsman thing another day? My head is killing me." Oobleck's shoulders lifted and fell several times as the doctor chuckled, and he shook his head just as Roman hoped he wouldn't.

"I'm afraid that is not possible, Mr. Torchwick. You will have to come with me." Dr. Oobleck declared, uncrossing his arms should Roman try anything. The mastermind groaned again in as much annoyance as soreness from the train wreck, and tried in vain to stand up. Instead, the good doctor stopped him with an open palm strike, the blow to his temple knocking Roman out and sending him to the dust for a second time. Oobleck shook his head in pity; he knew for a fact that Roman wasn't the brains of the operation. Despite the problems the man presented and the crimes he had committed, Oobleck and Ozpin both knew that Roman was simply a player in someone else's game, so to speak. The doctor rolled his captive over onto his back and sighed, before looked up at the sound of thrusters.

Above the _Infinite Sky_ , the airships from Ironwood's Atlesian forces began to descend, including several transports carrying mechs and Huntsmen. Even from his vantage point at the breach, Oobleck could see his friend Professor Port, flying in with Team CFVY as they surveyed the scene. Most were too far away for Oobleck to see their reactions, but the doctor could only assume their shock at seeing such a calm courtyard reduced to rubble and ash by a single attack. Still, the Grimm had been obliterated, and besides a torn up courtyard, a few dozen windows, and a giant hole in the ground, Vale had come out of this attack pretty well off. They wouldn't be burying any civilians, at any rate.

Dr. Oobleck dragged Roman's unconscious form toward the nearest troop of Atlesian Knights and left him in their capable, mechanical hands. As the androids loaded the snoozing criminal mastermind onto a secured transport, Glynda and Port made their way over to him around Spirit's large ship. Glynda's eyebrows met as she looked around in frustration, her riding crop already whipping about as she struggled to repair the damage left from Horst's attack and the initial impact.

"Dr. Oobleck, what in the world happened here? We sent you out on a mission to investigate the White Fang, and suddenly a train comes crashing up through the ground?!" Glynda demanded angrily, her stern tone leaving no bite on the doctor's ego. He knew that she simply wanted to know what had happened, even if her frustration at cleaning up after everyone was blatantly apparent.

"To be honest, Glynda...I was here, and I can't comprehend what happened. All I know is..." Oobleck trailed off as he pushed his glasses up on his nose with a single finger, his gaze crossing over toward the large ship where RWBY, JNPR, and their Guardian trainers had taken refuge.

"Our new friends are far more powerful than we ever realized."

* * *

On board the _Infinite Sky,_ Spirit lead the battered team into the crew quarters slowly, her partner taking the ladder one slow step at a time. Behind them, the cargo bay doors closed and a faint hum filled the ship as Hope directed it towards Beacon, flying gently to prevent any of the tired Guardians from falling over. Behind Spirit and Horst, Ren had already rolled out a bed roll in the cargo bay from their other supplies and collapsed on top of it, Nora following suit and using her partner as a pillow. The valkyrie fell over nearly on top of the ninja and landed in a confused clump that in any other circumstance would have been dreadfully uncomfortable, but nevertheless the two were snoring loudly in seconds. Jaune and Pyrrha made it as far as the common room with a pallet of their own, but as soon as they made it through the door behind RWBY, the padded mat was laid out and Jaune had removed his armor. The leader of JNPR set his armor and sword down next to the mat and took Pyrrha's weapons from her, setting them down next to his own. That done, the two laid down on the mat with Jaune's back to the wall, his slightly larger form wrapping around Pyrrha's as they drifted off into slumber.

As RWBY began drifting around the common room, Spirit assisted Horst into her own personal cabin. The door slid open and closed behind them almost immediately, and Spirit sat her tired partner on the bed. The Titan stared up at her tiredly, his eyes barely slits as he struggled to stay awake. She patted him on the shoulder and then began searching for the buckle to release the pauldron, and Horst pulled away from her slightly.

"I can undress myself, you know." He protested tiredly, batted at her hand with his own. Spirit smirked at his male pride, too tired not to fall asleep in full armor and yet too proud to let her help him out of it. Normally, she'd be toying with him for a round of post combat celebration, but the students in the other room and his apparent exhaustion ruled that out. Instead, she grasped his pauldron, more forcefully this time, and pulled it off as she had many times before.

"My ship, my rules. You're too tired, and I'm not having you sleep in full gear. Besides, these Wings tear up the upholstery." She remarked, and gently set the flowing metal piece to the side as she worked on his gauntlet. Together, she and Horst managed to free him of his armor in short order, with a stack of dirty and somewhat dented pieces set up neatly next to the door. The undersuit that the armor attached to came next, his blue and yellow form fitting suit giving way to a set of compression shorts and nothing else. Peeling the suit off of him had proven to be a chore, and revealed how long he had been in the armor with the reek of body odor. Once Horst was free of the clingy garment, Spirit pushed him into the attached bathroom, where he stood in the shower still in his shorts for a few moments. The Titan lowered his shorts and tossed them out onto the floor without a second thought, though Spirit failed to leave the room. The bathroom was quite cramped, considering it was on a military grade star ship. Besides the toilet, sink, and shower, there was standing room for two people; one in the shower, and one out.

"I'm not exactly up for a round of shower fun, you know." Horst said with a grimace as the water came on. The opening salvo of cold water made him shiver, but it warmed quickly enough. "The spirit may be willing, but the flesh is worn and bruised." Spirit laughed at his words and closed the door to the shower, leaving Horst with some semblance of privacy.

"I'm not hear to jump your bones, stud. If you fell in the shower and Switch had to resurrect you, I'd never let you live it down. Now wash up, the bed's right out here." She teased. Horst snorted and began washing himself, and Spirit stood by for a few moments, waiting to see if the warm water would put her partner to sleep or not. Once she was confident he wouldn't pass out standing up, the Hunter stepped out of the bathroom and back out into the cabin, shucking her helmet, cloak, and armor plates as well. Spirit hung her cloak up on a peg near the starboard wall and set her plates down in the floor next to Horst's. With nothing but her form fitting, padded undersuit, Spirit stepped back out to check on their students. In the time it had taken her to undress Horst and get him in the shower, Weiss had discovered the other one next to the crew cabin and was busy removing the grime of a long mission from her body, Myrtenaster leaning just outside the door. Blake and Yang sat on one of the couches, talking quietly as they waited their turn for the shower as well. From the open bunk room door, it was obvious that Ruby had said to Hell with the shower and collapsed onto the lower bunk, her light snores barely audible over Weiss' shower. Spirit walked past Blake and Yang and left them to their talk, and instead looked down on the sleeping Arkos. Both Guardians in training were sleeping like logs, Pyrrha the little spoon in the sleeping arrangement as Jaune curled protectively around her. Jaune's arm wrapped around Pyrrha's midsection, hugging her tightly to him with his right arm while his left provided a pillow for her. Her long hair splayed out underneath him, and the champion wrapped both arms over Jaune's right and brought her knees up slightly. It seemed that the indomitable Champion of Mistral liked to be protected every now and again, judging from the content smile on her face. Jaune looked happy as well, though his relaxed visage was likely more attributed to his exhaustion than anything. If the two had been more awake, there would have at least been some blushing involved.

 _They make a cute couple._ Spirit thought to herself, not one to make such observations. You don't fight the Darkness as long as she had and come away with a sunny disposition, but the sight of her students sleeping so peacefully left the Hunter feeling content. She and Horst had found solace and support in each other for some time, but seeing things like this always made Spirit think twice about the world. Even with nasty Fallen and vile, twisted Hive fighting to crush and destroy all that is right with the world, they still managed to get little moments like this.

Spirit looked up at the empty bunk room and figured that Yang and Blake would take that one, and walked back into her cabin. As the door slid shut, she turned to see that Horst was stepping out of the bathroom, a towel around his waist as he stepped heavily toward the bed. Spirit had seen his body many a time, but she still appraised him every chance she got. One of the oddities with Horst was that no matter how many times he resurrected, his body reconstructing from its most basic elements, he still managed to accumulate a wide variety of scars. His mismatched eyes were only the most visible wounds, but all across his muscled chest and back, a thousand tiny little reminders etched themselves into his flesh, each with its own tale on how it got there. His skin was a shade lighter than his face, but he was still quite darker than his very light blue skinned partner. His single blue eye, usually bright and eager, was lidded and heavy from the day's events.

"C'mere, champ. Let's put you to bed." Spirit pulled his arm and tugged the large man toward the bed, and he reluctantly followed the Hunter as she guided him to the queen sized bed she had allowed for herself on the _Infinite Sky_. Of course, silk sheets were a little above what most Guardians expected in a bed, but Spirit got what she wanted. She rarely wanted much, but whatever she did desire she managed to get a hold of. It had worked for Horst, it had worked for Thorn, and it had worked for silk sheets. Horst grumbled in embarrassment as she snatched his towel away, and rolled into the bed before she could pop him in the ass with it. This fear was from personal experience, and he knew she always got mischievous when he was tired and his guard was down. Instead of pulling something to further antagonize the Titan, she just brought the covers up over his naked form and step back out the room. Spirit hovered at the door for a moment, watching Horst fight sleep before finally succumbing to sweet, sweet slumber. He had fought as hard as he could to stay awake, and it just made it so... _adorable._

"Men and their egos." Spirit muttered to herself with a smirk. Just as the door slid shut to allow Horst some privacy, the scroll that Ozpin had given her began vibrating in the cockpit. "Speaking of which..." Spirit trotted up into the cockpit and picked up her scroll, opening it and holding it out in front of her. As she did so, the line clicked, and she could hear Ozpin breathing on the other side, or at least what she assumed was Ozpin. The picture of him popping up meant the call was coming from his scroll.

"Spirit, where are you? Is everyone alright?" Ozpin asked in his calm yet serious tone. "Do you have the students with you?" Given Horst's high praise of the man and her own developing trust as well, Spirit decided to forgive his mother hen impression.

"Relax, Ozpin. Horst and both teams are on the _Infinite Sky_ with me, and most of them are sleeping the mission off. We left Oobleck behind when the Atlesians arrived. He'll be able to explain everything." Spirit honestly didn't feel like explaining herself to the Headmaster, and honestly would rather be in bed right now...her currently occupied bed...

"Yes, he also took a prisoner. Roman Torchwick is finally in our custody. However, the damage to the courtyard was immense, and I've got the council breathing down my neck about Horst's abilities. I don't know if it was your intention, but it's becoming impossible to keep the Guardians a secret any longer." Spirit rolled her eyes, thankful that Ozpin couldn't see her. While it was true that revealing the Guardians was a big step, it was also a necessary one if the whole trust thing was going to go smoothly. On top of that, a team of Guardians had just countered a White Fang incursion and wiped out their secret base all in a span of eight hours. If their identity were to come out, now would be the opportune time.

"Listen, Ozpin..."

While Spirit argued with the Headmaster of Beacon, Yang sat with her back pressed against the arm of the couch, Blake in her lap with her head on Yang's chest. The brawler's arms were wrapped around her partner, and Blake leaned back into the comfortable warmth of Yang's embrace. The two had fallen into their position shortly after sitting down, and Blake was so comfortable, even if Weiss left the shower open Blake doubted that she would move. That, and she was hesitant to let Yang out of her sight. After the adrenaline filled ride all the way from downtown Vale to the _Black Lagoon_ , Mountain Glenn, and then Vale again, the Faunus was ready for a nice, long nap. And Yang had no arguments as a pillow. They had laughed and talked about the fight and the Grimm they had beaten, but once everyone else had broken off to either sleep, shower, or talk to Ozpin, a comfortable silence fell over the two. So relaxed was Yang, she began humming gently to herself, a half forgotten lullaby she used to sing to Ruby after Summer's death. The vibrations of Yang's humming passed from her chest into Blake's back, adding a soothing undertone to the warmth and melody Yang provided. Blake's fatigue from the day's events and and everything Yang was doing soon lulled her into sleep, a small smile gracing her lips as Yang continued to hum. They sat there for some time, just like that, with the cascading water of Weiss' shower and Spirit's distant call with Ozpin providing an auditory backdrop for the two, and Yang fell into a light doze as well.

Weiss stepped out of the shower with her night clothes on, a long night gown and a pair of white pajama bottoms. When she walked out, the cuddling partners drew her attention for a moment. The heiress stood in the doorway of the shower, watching them sleep peacefully as she pondering the scene. The two had been growing closer as partners, but Blake had been as clingy as possible in a knock down, drag out fight with Grimm in Yang's case. Even after their ascension to Guardianhood, Blake's behavior had gone from distant friend to something more... distressed. And here they were, cuddling far more comfortably than Weiss would expect. Still, Blake getting clingy wasn't Weiss' problem. She had some sleep to get to. Without further thought in the matter, the heiress stepped into the bunk room Ruby had chosen, the door sliding closed behind her.

As the door hissed shut, Yang's eye cracked open and she noticed that the shower was available. As tempted as she was to go back to sleep, even resurrecting halfway through the night did not rid a girl of all the grime a long mission accumulated. Blake may have been tired enough to pass out, but Yang was itching for a shower. She sat upward against Blake's weight and attempted to ease out from underneath the Faunus, her movements slow and careful in an effort not to wake her partner. Yang had attempted to sneak out without Blake realizing several times in their tenure at Beacon. She had failed every time.

"Yang, don't go." Blake's words were pleading, and caught the blonde off guard for a moment. The Faunus spun as her partner froze, and Yang finally saw Blake's eyes open with a expression of dreadful fear and loss, terrified of losing her all over again. Yang blinked slowly, then settled back into her position as Blake laid down on her chest. This time, the Faunus had her head on its side, listening intently to Yang's strong heartbeat throb beneath her breast. Yang knew that Blake was still struggling with the fight with Adam, and in fact Yang herself still had reservations about _dying_ of all things, but she could see clearly that the event had shaken Blake to the core.

"What's wrong, kitty cat? I'm not going anywhere." Yang said with a small laugh as she tried to play off the day's events. Blake didn't respond at first, but just looked up from her perch on Yang's chest, her expression lost and pleading.

"You already left me once. Don't do it again. Please." Blake had always been strong, to follow the White Fang and stand up for her people, and then again to desert the traitors once she discovered that they had lost her way. To see her so weak and vulnerable now, over the (temporary) loss of her partner, Yang felt her stomach drop.

"You didn't lose me. I'm here, aren't I?" Yang patted Blake's head reassuringly, her fingers diving into the mane of raven locks as she ruffled the bow that once again hid the Faunus' ears. She had put it back on after Yang's resurrection, but the blonde still faintly remembered pulling the ribbon of fabric free shortly before she...died. The thought troubled her, but Yang knew that there was no use agonizing over it. It had been dark, and cold, but she had returned to the light before she had ever even begun to recognize her own death. Blake, however, had witnessed the whole ordeal, and at the hands of a man she had once considered her partner.

"I did lose you. Adam took you from me. I wasn't strong enough to face him alone and he took you away from me. If Spark hadn't shown up..." Blake's words were choked with emotion, loss and betrayal and something else lurking in her tone, though Yang couldn't distinguish it from the rest. Blake's fingers curled tightly around Yang's top beneath her jacket, wrinkling the fabric as she vented her frustrations.

I figured I'd be more upset with him than you would, Blakey. I mean, _I'm_ the one he stabbed, remember?" Yang attempted a joke, but Blake's red eyed glare told her now was not the time. Tears welled up at the corners of Blake's eyes, and she buried her head in Yang's chest again.

"I can't stand it. Every time I look at you, I see him standing over you, and all the blood. Your eyes... you asked me not to cry. And then you left me all alone, because I couldn't stop him. I'm so sorry, Yang. It's all my fault. I'm sorry." Blake's voice was muffled by the combination of Yang's jacket, top, and cleavage, but their meaning still reached Yang. Even despite Adam masterminding everything – the attack on Vale, Leonberger's fall from power, Blake's parents dying – Blake considered herself responsible for Yang's condition after their fight with the red haired bastard. As the strongest person Yang knew fell apart right on top of her, Yang resolved that it was one more thing she'd carve into Adam Taurus' headstone. He'd killed Blake's parents. He turned the White Fang into a bloodthirsty group of terrorists. He'd stabbed her in the chest. But worst of all, he had made Blake cry.

"It's not your fault." Yang whispered as she rubbed one arm along her partner's back, the other still entangled in her hair. "We both went into that room after him. I didn't follow you because you were going. I wanted revenge for you as much as you did. I saw how he affected you, and I was there when that pirate told you about your parents. Even if I had never met you, Blake, I'd have chased after him. And without your help, he would have gotten me even faster." Blake opened her mouth to protest, but Yang's finger on her lips stopped her cold. "I followed you into that room because you deserved closure. For the White Fang. For your parents. For everything. And if you think for any reason, you are responsible for what happened, then you are wrong." Blake blinked as she struggled to process Yang's words, still doubting them even as she wrestled with her own self loathing.

"Adam was my responsibility. I made him into what he is. I helped him, I looked up to him, I..." Blake looked up at Yang as if expecting anger for a moment, but then looked back down before she thought Yang would notice. "I loved him." Yang understood now just how much of an effect Adam had on her partner, but why had love made her hesitant to say? And why had she looked up at her.

"I know. And for that, he will pay. I'll make sure you have your revenge, Blake. Just make sure you leave some for me too." Yang said with conviction, though she winked at the last part. Blake saw a ghost of red flash through Yang's eyes when she said 'revenge', and the Faunus' mouth creased into a hard line.

"No." Blake said, and her arms wrapped around Yang's back to hug the brawler to her as tightly as possible. "If I have anything to say about it, you'll never go near him again. I won't lose you to him. Not like last night, not ever." Yang crossed a leg over Blake's pinning the Faunus in her place in case the she tried to mount Yang. Blake really was adamant about Yang staying away from Adam. And why was it so hot in here?

"You know you can't stop him alone. And there's no way to predict what he will do. If we see him again, we'll take him down – together." Yang reasoned, and Blake lifted up from her place on Yang's chest to stare the blonde directly in the eye. They were close, just a breath away...and Blake was holding back, there was something she wasn't saying. The heat in Yang's face built at Blake's proximity, and she couldn't ignore the blush crossing the Faunus' face. Why was her heart beating so fast?!

"I don't care if we never see him again. I just...I can't lose you like I did. It would be too..." Blake faltered, and her eyes fell as she backed off slightly. Yang felt puzzled and...disappointed? She couldn't place the feeling she was experiencing, even as Blake settled back down onto her chest. The Faunus relaxed her arms underneath Yang's back, but she did not release them. Yang's arms crossed over to hold Blake to her chest almost on their own accord, even as she contemplated just how much she meant to Blake.

"Don't worry, kitty cat. I'm not going anywhere. I promise." Yang whispered, but a series of measured breaths on her chest told Yang all she needed to know: the day's events had finally drained Blake of her energy, plus whatever else was going on in the Faunus' head. Yang mentally shrugged at it all; they'd handle it in the morning. Figuring that the shower would be available when they woke up, Yang settled in for another nap – with her partner as a blanket.

In the cockpit, Spirit's blood pressure began to rise as she and Ozpin went back and forth on the topic of revealing the Guardians. Ozpin was adamant that it was still too soon, that the world was not ready for the Guardians to reveal themselves. Spirit disagreed, greatly, and felt that repelling a Grimm invasion and a White Fang plot nearly guaranteed that the rest of Remnant would welcome their help. Playing politics was for Horst.

"And I'm telling you, the longer we hide from the people on this planet, the less they are going to trust us when we actually _do_ come out into the light. We should say something now, especially since we have enough recruits to actually be considered a force." Spirit explained, a tick mark on her forehead describing her lack of patience. Unfortunately, Ozpin could not see it.

"Our enemy has yet to show their hand. Having you as an unknown, hidden force keeps them off balance. Whoever they are, they can't predict the Guardians and your abilities. Once we handle their plot, then we can come clean. On everything." Ozpin offered in a calm, even voice. Spirit was sure that the level headed, fatherly tone that Ozpin operated with likely swayed all but the most stubborn and strong willed bureaucrats that he dealt with. However, she had put up with the Vanguard, the Consensus, and the Speaker for years; his approach had no effect on her opinion.

"Ozpin, I'll talk this over with Horst. Until then, we won't do or say anything." Spirit said with a groan. "Once he weighs in on this, we can move forward to actually doing something." On the other end, Spirit heard him sigh and undoubtedly nod his head.

"Agreed. Right after an intense battle is a poor time to consider the next step. Rest up, and we'll discuss it tomorrow. Just, do be careful with my students." Ozpin offered, though his last sentence had the undertones of a warning. Spirit let it slide, but her eyebrow did raise slightly at that. What did the kids have to fear from the Guardians, even as they were already Guardians themselves? Ozpin was so worried about them, he had never stopped to explain exactly what they knew about Torchwick and his group. Something else was going on, and Ozpin was distrustful of her? Pfft.

"The crew of the _Infinite Sky_ will do just that, Headmaster." Spirit said icily. "Have a nice night." With that, she closed the scroll.


	19. Chapter 19

So, yeah. Bumblebee is pretty much confirmed. I just didn't want the 'big moment' to be on the ship while they're both covered in grime. It'll be a private affair as these things are meant to be. Not to slight the authors that do such things in the heat of the moment – to each their own – but this one will be a deliberate action. As for someone asking about revealing the Guardians, Spirit doesn't see a point hiding them in the first place. That, and explaining to the local populace that a Huntsman redid the cobblestone in an entire courtyard as a Semblance is far fetched for even the most clueless civilian.

Also, just a warning, **MATURE CONTENT AHEAD.** I said fuck it, and tried something. After that, it's all descriptive flashbacks to introduce the enemies of the Guardians to the new kids.

 _Alright, time to earn your stripes. Get out there, and don't come back til you have four Fallen sabers. And that's each! Guardians accomplish more by working together, and Hunters are the best. -_ Cayde-6 to a group of fledgling Hunters enroute to the Cosmodrome.

* * *

 **Chapter 19**

Horst barely recognized the ceiling when he first awoke from his slumber, bleary eyes casting around for anything familiar as his mental faculties returned to him. In the next few moments, he clenched his eyes shut as his body reminded him of what he had been doing the previous day: fire raced down his arms and up from his calves, across his back and pooling in his lumbar region. A dull ache throbbed in his abdomen, and his head rang like a gong being struck within his very own brain. The Titan groaned and lifted a hand, his arm burning at the action, and rubbed his forehead in an attempt to alleviate the proto-migraine. It helped, but only slightly.

 _Holy mother of the Traveler._ Horst thought past his pounding head. Usually he didn't feel this bad unless he had accomplished several patrol missions in a row, and that also required a night of drinking to get him this miserable. The Titan let his hand fall to the bed and sighed, trying in vain to go back to sleep and delay the pain for a few more hours. As he laid in bed with the aches and pains of a previous day's slaughter, it never occurred to him that he wasn't in bed alone. While Horst soaked in misery, Spirit was propped up on an elbow, watching him wince and groan and not making a sound. After a few moments of silently observing the Titan's pain, she finally took pity on him and made her presence known.

"Good morning, sunshine. Did you sleep well?" Her voice dripped with smugness, and Horst already knew he was better off forcing himself into a coma somehow. Hunters always strike when their enemy is weakest, and right now she had him dead to rights. He opened his scarred eye and looked around quickly, getting a good enough look around to realize she was on his right side before closing it again.

"Ugh. Spirit, can we postpone whatever horrors you have planned for AFTER I've recovered? I'm not sure I can take any punishment right now." Horst groaned pitiously. He knew that her mischevious side was coming out to play, and as vulnerable as he was, there was no way she'd pass up the opportunity. Heralded by a feeling of dread, he felt her lithe arm creep up underneath his elbow, her hand drawing slow circles around his hardened and sore muscles. To any casual observer, it would appear to be a gentle or loving caress. Horst knew she was just thinking of ways to torment him, now when he was most vulnerable. He let his guard down around her to an extent, but it wasn't until moments like this that he felt trapped: a fly before the spider. That, and in his exhaustion he had forgotten to grab any undergarments before collapsing into bed. She'd played this game before, and he knew she loved it. He also suspected what would come next.

"Now where's the fun in that? I don't know what you're so nervous about," she cooed in his ear, and the shiver that ran down his back wasn't entirely fear. Damned woman had him by the balls, even when she was tormenting him. "I was just thinking of sleeping in and having a movie night with the kids. Maybe pop some popcorn, have a few laughs..." Something warm and wet crossed the outer arch of his ear, and the Titan shivered again. As he expected, his body reacted to her actions, and he could almost hear her smile as her circling fingers went lower. Like, way downtown. He felt more than watched her fingers wrap around him, and the Titan groaned again as she gave him a squeeze. The aches and pains of the previous days exertions still plagued Horst, but his teammate's close proximity and working hands slowly built up an urge that brushed away his exhaustion like cobwebs in the wind. As she continued to pull and squeeze, Horst lifted his arm and rolled into Spirit, eclipsing her form with her own as his large hand splayed across her collarbone. Tender, warm flesh met his hand, and he raised an eyebrow at her own naked form. She had been planning this since putting him to bed the previous night, it seemed. His eyes lingered on her form, forestalling his next action as he appreciated her body, his hand sliding downward to cup a supple breast, earning a quiet gasp from his lover. She released him and lifted his hand from her chest, though the coy smile she wore implied no end to the early morning festivities.

"Ah ah ah, stud. You had a long day yesterday. I'll cut you some slack this time." She whispered hotly, her breath ghosting across his face as she pushed him backward and followed him down. When their lips met, it was searing and fiery, filled with the passion they often enjoyed together as his hands roamed her body. When they finally separated, Horst blinked in surprise as she slowly crept downward, her body pressed against his as she littered him with short, silent kisses while she made her way further underneath the covers. Horst kept a hand on the back of her head, fingers gripping her short locks not too tight, not too loose as he allowed her free reign to do as she wished. And from the warmth that enveloped him, what she wished was good.

 **IT'S OVER. THAT'S ALL I'M COMFORTABLE WITH. GOD I THINK I'M GONNA BE SICK.**

While the senior Guardians recuperating from the previous day's mission by doing, well, _each other_ , the newly minted Guardians under their care were finding the morning to be a difficult guest to greet. Ruby lay sprawled out on the bottom bunk of the room she had chosen, a thin line of saliva drooling down her chin as she snored away. Weiss, usually prim and proper, was similarly in a state of uncouth oblivion. The only difference between the heiress and the reaper was that Weiss was face down in her pillow. Blake and Yang had not moved from their spot on the couch, the Faunus using her teammate's considerable bust as a comfortable pillow while Yang herself was used to sleeping on the couch. Yang's chin rested on Blake's head, in between her cat ears, as the two snoozed quietly. Blake had pulled her knees up during the night, and the two made a nice, warm little nest on one side of the couch.

On the floor next to the wall, Pyrrha had rolled during the night to face Jaune, and the two were napping away with their foreheads pressed together, completely oblivious as they slept. The bed roll wasn't big enough for both of them to lie on as they were, so Pyrrha's butt was hanging off of the pad onto the floor. It didn't seem to bother the champion, so soundly she slept next to her knight. Out in the cargo hold, Nora lay across Ren like a giant pillow, snoring away loudly while the ninja himself stared upward at the ceiling. Dark bags underneath his eyes told of his fruitless attempt to return to sleep once Nora started snoring. She had woken him in the middle of the night, and her snoring usually wasn't enough to keep him awake. Unfortunately for Ren, she was on top of him, snoring right in his ear, and the poor lad couldn't escape without possibly waking her up. Ever the gentleman, Ren had elected to suffer through it instead of waking up his oblivious partner. For six hours. At times, she would quiet, and he would enjoy several minutes of blissful relief. But as soon as she started snoring again, he was cursed with consciousness once more.

With the elder Guardians attempting to turn the master bedroom into a Jackson Pollock painting, Switch decided to opt out of that particular event even as Hope had abandoned hours previously. The raven-like Ghost was up in the cockpit, compiling data retreived from the fight in Vale to send back to the Vanguard. It would provide more information on how Huntsmen fight, as well as footage on how RWBY and JNPR fought together. Both points would be of great interest to the Vanguard, Ikora especially. The topic of Remnant was likely widely discussed with the Warlocks of the tower. That was a necessary step to take, but also one that was incredibly boring. Switch was glad Hope had elected to take care of it, and now he had a chance to meet the 'new blood', as it was. The black Ghost blipped into existence outside of the bedroom and surveyed the common area, with its many sleeping Guardians. He floated over to Blake and Yang, the two sleeping soundly and oblivious to the Light construct hanging above them. A shower of glittering cubes to his right, however, indicated that someone wanted to talk.

"Hey, what's up?" Spark said as he materialized, his rifle slung over his shoulder casually as he stood in what Switch read as a relaxed pose. Switch had limited contact with the newly reborn Ghosts, but from what he had gleaned in their silent communication between each other as their Guardians fought, many of them were still getting used to not being Oryx's little toys.

"Well, since my Guardian is tied up at the moment and Hope is being a party pooper, I was thinking a movie day." Switch said as his facets spun. "You guys have your experiences under Oryx's control, but your Guardians have only seen Grimm. It might be time for some classroom fun." Spark cocked his head at that, then shrugged his shoulders in a noncommital way.

"Sounds good. I don't know about the others, but I don't really remember anything before Yang. Some basic knowledge of the Traveler, Earth, and whatnot. Other than that, everything is really murky, and I just get...cold whenever I think about it." Spark shivered at that, shaking his head as if to clear it. Which didn't make sense as he didn't exactly _have_ a head, but body language with Ghosts was always touch and go. "My memories from before are like trying to look through a really dark lake."

"Well then, learning experience for everyone then." Switch said simply. Even as the two Ghosts hovered over the sleeping partners, a third appeared as well, Shadow bringing his silent two Lien into the conversation.

"Hey there, mute one." Spark said with a sardonic undertone. "Do me a favor and float there silently." He paused, and Shadow narrowed his eye in irritation. "Good job buddy."

"As fun as it is to mess with the new Ghosts, you wanna see what I have planned for 'movie day'?" Switch intervened, even as the rose-shaped Ghost began spinning his facets in different directions. And were those thorns?

"Sure, I'm game. As long as it isn't death by powerpoint or some droning speech, I'm up for anything." Spark replied, even as he shot holographic bullets at Shadow out of boredom. Lines of Light arced from the Ghost's rifle as he 'shot' his fellow Ghost. Shadow just rolled his eye silently as the holographic bullets phased through him. Despite his clear and present irritation with Spark, Shadow wasn't making any protest against the idea either.

"Here, I'll send you the compressed versions. One mission for each faction should do it. And Horst has been through some stupid missions." Switch said with a chuckle. A few seconds passed as Switch transferred the video recordings to Spark and Shadow. The two new Ghosts processed each video extremely quickly, and even Shadow let out a low chuckle after they were finished.

"Oh, I can't wait for this. Yang will laugh her ass off when she sees that scene from the Vault. This will be too good." Spark said, his frame shaking as he slapped his fragmented knee. Shadow bobbed in mid air as well, though the one deep chuckle they had heard was all he would vocalize.

"So, how do we start? I've got a great bunch of videos, but the two in there are going at it like rabbits, and everyone else is out cold. I can't have a great idea go stale because everyone's asleep." Switch complained. Honestly, he was more interested in the ways a Ghost could wake someone up. Being able to manipulate matter made things interesting, particularly when you could transmat at litre of water straight from the pail. Before the senior Ghost could do anything, however, a fourth Light construct made itself know into the conversation.

"Whatever you miscreants are planning, the young warriors need their rest. Save your childish antics for when they haven't been fighting for their lives." Sure enough, the white snowflake shaped form of Flake appeared from the bunkroom's door. His superior, yet calm tone did well to irritate both Spark and Switch, though Shadow appeared unfazed. An annoyed grunt came from the armored Ghost, and he crossed his arms as his rifle faded from existence.

"Buzz off chambermaid. We didn't ask you for your opinion. Why don't you crawl back in Weiss' head and read her a bedtime story." Yeah, Spark really hated Flake. Still, the white Ghost continued even in spite of Spark's hostile greeting. Switch seemed a little less miffed about his intrusion, but the sarcastic black Ghost wasn't pleased either. Flake's somewhat subserviant demeanor grated on Switch's nerves. Ghosts were partners to their Guardians; equals, not servants.

"No offense twinkles, but we're planning an important lesson for our new Guardians in training. You're kinda getting in the way of that." Switch said dismissively, already turning back toward Spark with more ideas on how to wake up the rest of the crew. Flake gave an irritated huff to being ignored, and floated closer to Shadow than the other two. So caught up in the conversation about waking up the Guardians were they, the Light constructs never noticed that their conversation had actually accomplished what they wre discussing. With Spark and Switch going back and forth about further plans, they never noticed Ruby and Summer emerge from the bunkroom. Ruby rubbed her eye groggily as the two went back and forth, yawning widely as Shadow and Flake turned silently and bobbed in recognition of the Guardian and her Ghost.`

"What are you guys talking about?" She asked tiredly, forcing the two scheming Ghost to spin around quickly. While Ruby's question and demeanor was of innocence, Summer's eye was narrowed in suspicion. The crimson Ghost had heard much of their conversation, and she was clearly not amused.

"Oh, nothing. Just comparing notes on communication protocols." Switch lied smoothly, earning a glare from both Flake and Shadow. Spark nodded in agreement as well, though the looks he received from the other Ghosts implied that their tall tale wasn't so believable. Ruby, however, just shrugged and accepted it with another yawn, stretching her arms above her head as she struggled to return to the land of the living.

"That's cool, I guess. Where are Horst and Spirit? I figured they'd be up by now." Ruby looked around, her silver eyes searching for the two senior Guardians. Considered what they had been doing the last time Switch had bothered to check, clueing in the somewhat innocent little Guardian on the activities presented a dilemma to the gathered Ghosts. While it was better for all involved that Ruby be maneuvered away from discovered her mentors in such a compromising position, the entertainment value of Ruby walking in on Spirit and Horst doing the do was nearly priceless. Flake, Shadow, and Summer clearly felt the former was necessary, whereas Spark and Switch sided with the latter. In the end, however, the unspoken decision of what to reveal was made by Hope, who flitted gently from the cockpit where she had been stationed.

"Those two are still in bed. It appears Horst needed some time to recuperate after yesterday's events." She said gently. "Why don't you wake up the rest of the students? I understand Switch has something to share with you all." Switch cursed quietly off to the side, something about 'damned bird ruining everything', but Ruby seemed more than glad to wake up the rest of the team. But she was more interested in what Switch had in mind.

"Really? What is it? A way to manipulate Light? Throw fireballs? Are you going to teach us how to fly?" The little reaper asked excitedly, causing Switch the float backward slightly and escape her exuberance. Seeing such excitement over learning something new – particularly over a new part of becoming a Guardian – really made Switch think twice about exposing Ruby to her trainers and their extra cirricular activities. His eye shifted from Ruby's expectant face to Hope, who was smuggly preening on the back of the couch, above the tangle of limbs and hair that was Blake and Yang. It was just like Hope to do that; provide the opening for him to do as he wished, and then gently prod him into the right direction instead. It was so unfair.

"Uh...well..." Switch hesitated at first, then finally relented. "Since you spent all of yesterday and the previous night getting _your_ butts kicked, I figured we could all watch some old mission logs of Horst and the others getting _their_ butts kicked. You know, give you kids an idea on what Guardians face, and show you that the invincible Horst has completely messed up more than a few things when he was starting out."

Ruby blinked the sleep from her eyes and grinend widely at that. "That sounds awesome! A team movie day!" She looked around, and only then did she notice that everyone else was still asleep. Her grin faltered slightly when she saw that, but not because they were ruining her fun. Switch had a point: the whole team was exhausted from their mission. She could wake them up, but everyone deserved to sleep just a little bit longer. Summer knew that Ruby was conflicted between getting everyone together for a group activity and letting them sleep; her role as leader was something she was still figuring out. Seeing her Guardian split between two decisions, Summer decided to assist.

"Where were you planning to show these mission logs, Switch? Maybe we can get a few simpler missions going, and everyone else can wake up on their own." The crimson Ghost suggested, and Switch's eye unfocused slightly as he searched his logs and the _Infinite Sky's_ logs for something appropriate to show Ruby. After a few seconds and several terabytes of data (Ghosts are awesome), a mission to Earth's moon came to mind as the perfect video for the fledgling Guardian. Switch inclined his frame toward the cargo bay door that lead out of the crew compartment, and the other Ghosts floated out of his way as he flew towards it. Instead of going through the hatch, however, Switch decided to show off and transmat right through the wall, passing through it as if it were never there. Flake, Shadow, and Spark followed suit, leaving Ruby and Summer to follow. Hope remained perched on the couch, watching over Yang and Blake as they continued to slumber.

"I'm sure Switch will cast the video onto the cargo bay door. If he selected the file I think he did, you'll be glad to see it. Just make sure Horst and Spirit don't hear it; it's a sensitive little video." The raven Ghost said gently, her composite talons clicking as she flew back into the cockpit to finish compiling data for transfer. Ruby watched her go, then turned and looked at Summer.

"Well, let's get going. They're all ready to show you this video." Summer said good naturedly, floating towards the door. Ruby blinked, then snapped out of her daze and followed the little Light constructs. She walked up to the door and walked through as if it wasn't there, the door sliding open and closing behind her so quickly that she did not have to slow down. She walked down the ladder and looked around the cargo bay, taking in the racks of weapons, worktable, and armor cabinets that lined the walls. The warp drive that Spirit had brought for the _Iron Symphony_ was covered by a tarp in the corner on her right. Directly ahead of her, the closed cargo bay door, though slightly inclined, provided the perfect smooth surface for Switch to project his video files upon. As Ruby walked toward the cluster of Ghosts that hovered near the bay door, she noticed the graceful pile of limbs that was Ren and Nora. She also noticed that unlike the serial booper snoring loudly on the mat, Ren was still awake. And judging by the deep dark bags underneath his eyes, he had not enjoyed the restful sleep she had.

"Ren? Are you...okay down there?" She asked tentatively. Ren blinked and sighed heavily, his chest rising and lifting his partner upward slightly before falling and lowering her again. Nora didn't even budge.

"Hello Ruby. I'm fine." He said wearily, even his voice was tired from quietly trying to get his partner to move during the night. Ruby winced in sympathy, and walked over toward him. Ren may have been comfortable with letting Nora sleep while he could not, but Ruby didn't really agree. Gently grabbing Nora's shoulder, the reaper lifted the hammer wielder up far enough for Ren to roll out from underneath her. As her comfortable pad slipped out from underneath her, Nora protested with an inarticulate mumble and groan, before rolling up into a ball and continuing to snore. Ren propped up on one elbow and watched his partner sleep with a weary smile, then looked back up at Ruby.

"Thank you, Ruby. She's more difficult to wake than I thought, I suppose." He said tiredly, masking a yawn with his hand as his own exhaustion caught up to him. Ruby nodded in return and stepped back, only for Ren to collapse instantly into slumber, slightly off of the padded mat. As tired as he was, the cold metal of the floor was comfortable enough for slumber. While those two continued to sleep, Ruby shook her head ruefully, then turned to look up at the cargo door. The Ghost was focused on projecting his Light upon the door's surface, blue transparent light refining into a sharp white ray, which then widened into a white square upon the door. Once the 'screen' stabilized, Summer disappeared from her place over Ren and Nora and took up residence in Ruby's head. The sound of feedback echoed in Ruby's head, causing her to wince as the uncomfortable sound came from within her own head.

 _Whoa. That's a weird feeling._ She thought with a few blinks as the audio cleared up. Up on the projection, the image turned from solid white to a rocky, alien area; white and light gray dust and sand covering the area. Rocky outcropping and old, metal buildings could be seen along the landscape, all beneath a starry black sky. The ground was littered with craters and small rocks, and the dust seemed to travel farther than usual, as if the wind was pushing it wherever it decided to go. It took Ruby a few moments, but then she realized why: the gravity was lesser on this place than it was on Remnant. The still picture hung for a moment, displaying the unknown planet's surface and a steep hill that was littered with footprints. Some of them were from human boots. Others were not. The sound kicked in as the picture began to move, and the video clip actually start. From the heavy, close breaths that Ruby could hear, Horst had been wearing his helmet at this time. She was likely seeing this from the camera on his helmet.

* * *

 _Horst walked up the hill slowly, his rifle pointed downward but ready to lift at any moment. The strange Fallen he had been tracking were elusive, little more than footprints and spent ether casings to follow as he moved along the moon's surface. His breath came out heavy but even, a sign that he had been walking for some time. The gravel underneath his feet crunched softly as he climbed the hill, a testament to the present but still unbreathable atmosphere on the air to hear sound, but not enough to breathe._

 _A sound attracted his attention, causing Horst's vision to shift sharply toward the zenith of the hill. Faint chattering could be heard above, and tumbling rocks from where they had been disturbed. Horst's rifle came up – a white Suros scout rifle, simple and basic – and scanned the crest of the hill. He held his breath for a few moments, waiting for the Fallen to descend upon him. He waited, but they never came. Horst let his rifle drop warily, and began the slow trudge up the hill._

 _"Lousy pirates." He muttered, incredibly loud within his own helmet. As he neared the top of the hill, a metal track like a tram or train stretched across the lunar surface, fifty feet above the ground and held up by strong, sturdy columns every one hundred feet. It continued around the bend and towards one of the great fissures in the distance, though this section seemed to end nearly a kilometer away. Where the Hive had tunneled down into the heart of the moon, great scars in the land had opened up. One of these fissures had severed the tramway, leading it sloping downward into the glowing green depths of the moon. Closer to him, an actual facility stood to his left, a hollowed out and scavenged shell of what had once been a busy transit station. The Golden Age astronauts had used these tramways to ship men and supplies all over the moon, and the evidence of their passage covered the area. Broken down rovers, sealed boxes, and the occasional corpse filled space suit covered the area around the transit hub, marking one more loss to the Darkness suffered so many years ago. It was truly sad, to gaze upon what had been wonderful technology and brave, smart people struggling to understand the world they lived in._

 _A bright pulse raced down the tramway, lights igniting and then dying right away as a single bolt of Arc energy raced down the line. The lights continued until they reached the break, where the collapsed tramline failed to sustain the connection, and everything went dark. Still, there had not been any activity in the transit hub for some time, and the Fallen did not possess the resources to get it running again. In fact, there was only one thing potent and powerful enough to kickstart the great relic of the Golden Age, even if only for a moment: the Traveler's Light._

 _A Guardian was in there._

 _Horst quickened his pace and half walked, half sprinted as he approached the transit hub, passing a few auxilary buildings as he entered the larger structure's shadow. He had cleared this site weeks prior; the only thing in those buildings were bodies and empty, useless boxes. As he approached the transit hub, he took in the building's architecture once again. Chinese writings littered the flat surfaces that climbed the wall, a painted sun rising behind white, blocky script. Horst had never thought to learn Chinese, and the area wasn't safe enough for Switch to translate. Honestly, it probably didn't matter anyway. Two thick columns of metal and concrete climbed upward to meet the transit hub's walls, though the lower level was barren. A few crates and columns separated Horst from the door, and he stepped past them quickly, his rifle sweeping this way and that to answer any surprises that might try to jump him. None did. As he neared the darkened doorway that lead into the facility, Horst quietly leaned against the wall near the doorframe, his ears straining to pick up any sounds from inside. A few clattering crates or discarded magizines could be heard, but not the usual ruckus of Fallen ransacking another human tomb. Someone was being quiet, but they were definitely searching for something._

 _"Switch, ping the comms. See if they respond." Horst whispered quietly, still not disciplined enough to project his thoughts to his Ghost partner. In his ears, a series of clicks, like someone keying up a radio, could be heard over the communications channel. A few tense seconds passed, and an answering click came back. Horst relaxed marginally, but he did not let down his guard. They were still in Fallen territory, and not every Guardian was guaranteed to be friendly. His chance encounter with a Sunbreaker squad had taught him that. Tentatively, Horst opened the comm link and stepped into the doorway, scanning slowly with his rifle to avoid any nasty surprises. A cone of light came to life in front of him as Horst activated a flashlight on the underside of his rifle._

 _"This is Titan Horst of the Tower. Any Guardians in here, identify yourself." He said in a level tone, all business without too much hostility. Silence reigned as he stepped further inward, passing a wall and entering a wide area that opened up slightly lower than the platform he stood on. Several Fallen light sticks littered the area, orange torches roughly seven feet in length that provided decent illumination and burned for forever. Exposed from the inky darkness by the Fallen's tools, several ancient computer terminals and supply boxes could be seen, all covered in dust and likely not used in a long time. A few of the computer displays danced with lights and life, though they did not seem to be performing at peak efficiency. Several Fallen bodies lay upon the floor as well, their weapons still crackling with energy as their bodies cooled. They had not been dead long. Most only had two arms and were clothed in rags, the classic description of a Fallen Dreg. These disgraced pirates were the bottom rung of Fallen society, their second set of arms removed or docked out of humiliation. A Dreg could climb higher in rank and receive mechanical arms, but to do so they must show ferocity and cunning above their disgraced peers. As Horst scanned the room, he noticed that only Dregs littered the floor. Every scavenger party was lead by at least a Vandal or a Captian, sometimes a Baron if the prize was sweet enough._

 _A scratching sound to his left drew Horst's attention, and all too soon Horst discovered the missing leader. A Fallen Vandal leaped from a darkened room Horst had missed, two Arc sabers flashing as the creatured roared in anger. Horst skipped back to grant himself more room as the cone of light shined upon the Vandal, exposing it to his searching eyes. Fallen had oddly shapen heads; their temples seemed to jut outward more prominently than humans, and their lower jaws were triangular instead of squared like a human's. This Vandal's face was all but obscured by a simple breathing apparatus, a mask that allowed for more efficient ether consumption and quieted the Fallen's breathing. Two mechanical arms swung beneath the two natural ones as the blades crossed each other in the air, missing Horst by several feet thanks to his quick reaction. A tattered cloak flowed behind the alien as it dashed forward, its two toed feet moving swiftly as the creature came after Horst. The Titan dropped one hand from his rifle and grasped the nearest Fallen arm that came to him, his hand landing on its wrist and out of danger from that blade. The Titan pulled his foe into his shoulder and lifted upward with his hips, turning at the same time and throwing the Fallen into the wall behind him. The impact stunned the Vandal as it struggled to recover. Horst's hand returned to his rifle and he pulled to trigger twice, blowing out the Vandal's knees as it turned toward him. The shots forced the Fallen to fall backward, its ruined joints preventing it from rising doing any good with its sabers. Horst held off on the killing blow and stepped forward, his rifle held at ease as he observed his helpess opponent._

 _His time on Earth had allowed him plenty of encounters with the tricky Fallen, but he'd seldom had time to examine a living Vandal outside of combat. The creature snarled in fury and pain as he approached, swiping one of its sabers in a vain attempt to hold off the Guardian. Vandals rarely lacked for courage, but the creature knew that it was doomed. Guardians, even newly reborn recruits, were responsible for major losses against their enemies. Even when operating alone, a Guardian could easily clear out a Skiff of its entire crew, Baron included. This Vandal knew its time was up._

 _"Snek amare, zil fo kul!" The alien spat hatefully, though its derisive remark fell on deaf ears with Horst. If he had no time to learn Chinese, he had no interest in learning the Fallen tongue. Horst just did what any Guardian would do and raised his rifle._

 _"Yeah, well...your mother." He replied blandly, ready to end the Vandal as it clearly wished. A gunshot rang out – impossibly loud within the confines of the hallway – and the Vandal's head disappeared in a fount of ignited ether, white light shining upward from its decapitated trunk as its life energy reacted poorly to violent process of its own death. The corpse shuddered and went still as Horst raised his rifle, searching for the owner of the gun. He had not fired the final round; the sound of the blast meant that the weapon used was definitely a higher caliber than his rifle. As Horst scanned the darkness with his light, a faint shimmer on the wall drew his attention. He'd almost missed it, but his light panned back to the disruption quickly enough not to lose it. A shimmering of light and a few stray arcs of electricity danced in mid air near the corpse of the Vandal he had fought, nearly ten feet from him. As he continued to stare, the disruption resolved into a scarf wearing figure, clad in similar armor to his own: another Guardian. This one – a woman, and clearly a Hunter by her abilities and armor – nodded toward him in respect, her mirrored visor inclining slightly as she did so. Her body suit was largely exposed, a few thin plates on her shins, chest, and back protecting the Hunter from fire. As was per usual with Hunters, they preferred to avoid damage rather than survive it, opting for agility over durability. And this woman clearly preferred to be invisible._

 _"Nice toss there, big guy. I'm impressed." The woman spoke, and Horst could hear the smirk she was wearing. The Titan rolled his shoulders and held his rifle at ease, dropping one hand from it and letting the weapon point toward the floor._

 _"Yeah well, I was always told Titan were only good for smashing and throwing things. Might as well be the best at it if that's all I'm good for, right?" He quipped, and watched the Hunter sashay past him to examine the corpse of the Vandal they had tag teamed. Her body was lithe and fit, like a runner's, but she had enough curve in the right places even with the bulky undersuit to draw his eye. Realizing what he was doing, Horst shook his head and stepped past her, looking out the doorway instead._

 _"I'm looking for a Guardian that's been through here. His name is Zann. Have you seen him?" The woman asked, patting the Vandal down for any ether or Glimmer. Vandals and other Fallen were scavengers by nature, and they often held valuable information or relics as trinkets. Horst ran through the short list of Guardians he knew in the area, but the name Zann didn't ring a bell._

 _"Sorry, haven't met him. I've been on patrol here for a few weeks, but there have been several Guardians roaming the ruins. He could have been among the ones I haven't seen." Horst explained, turning his head to one side so he could watch her in his peripheral vision and stand on guard at the same time. The Hunter rummaged around a bit more and then stood up, her weapon glinting at her hip. A Duke Mk. 10 hand cannon, white in color with a black grip, sat comfortably in a rugged leather holster. No wonder it had been so loud – hand cannons were loud in general, but the Duke series in particular liked to speak. It was also a widely used weapon, and more popular among new Guardians. That, coupled with the Hunter's relatively unmarked scarf indicated that she was just a new as he was, if not even more so._

 _"Well thanks anyway. The Speaker asked me to track him down; apparently, he hasn't reported in for some time." The Hunter's head turned sharply as more footfalls outside attracted their attention, and Horst raised his rifle as well. Outside, the Titan could see several more Dregs and a few Vandals as well, all moving toward the transit hub they were standing in. At the head of the motley crew, a towering Captain stood defiantly, its billowing cloak and shrapnel launcher visible even from the doorway. The Captain's helmet was adorned with four angled horns that jutted upward, and its breathing apparatus was far mor refined than a common Vandal's. The Captain barked orders in its native tongue, its deep and commanding voice sharp contrast from a Dreg's raspy snarl. The Hunter drew her hand cannon and slid up to the other side of the doorway even as Horst took cover on his side._

 _"That's a lot of scavengers." He observed dryly, pulling his magazine and replacing it with a new one. Perks of being a Titan: carrying more ammo was hardly ever a problem. The Hunter nodded in agreement and scanned the area discreetly for a vantage point._

 _"If I get behind them and get their attention, can you clear them out?" She asked cooly, spinning the hand cannon with her finger in the trigger guard. Horst nodded twice and produced a grenade from his belt._

 _"Oh yeah. I can ruin their day." If her face was visible, Horst knew she would be smirking. The Hunter pulled a dagger from the small of her back – black polymer grip, simple steel blade – and charged it with Arc energy, extending the tip by several inches._

 _"I like the way you think. I'm Spirit, by the way." She said, and Horst grinned inside of his helmet. A nice name, especially for someone that could turn invisible. He tapped his chestplate, the Knight armor clanking dully against his covered knuckles._

 _"The name's Horst. Once we clear these guys out, I'll help you find Zann. Not like I have anything better to do, anyway." He acted like it was no big deal, but the truth of the matter was that standing guard and wandering around old ruins was beginning to bore him. A chuckle could be heard from his companion as Spirit leaned out from the doorway, raising her hand cannon and dropping two Dregs that approached too closely. Even as the two fell with missing heads, a salvo of Arc bolts passed through the door, forcing the two Guardians to take cover as the Dregs' comrades returned fire._

 _"Thanks. Now let's get these guys off our lawn." She said with what he knew was a wicked grin. Horst nodded, and suddenly she disappeared; a wraith on a barren world. Her cloaked form darted out of the doorway, and he peaked out and fired a few rounds to attract the Fallen's attention. The fight was on._

* * *

Ruby blinked as she came back to herself, her eyes wide and her breath coming hard as she recovered from the out of body experience. She had not just heard what was spoken and the gunfire, but Horst's thoughts and emotions had echoed in her head as if they were her own. The strange and alien feeling of another person's thoughts in her head startled Ruby, but she slowly came back to herself and enjoyed no thoughts in her head but her own. Switch wasn't just displaying a video file; it was a memory, just as Horst himself would recall it. Up on the screen, the scene was frozen on the muzzle flash of Horst's rifle, a Vandal taking a grave wound to the gut as it sprang forward to slice him. In the background, Spirit could be seen tackling the Captain, her small form pushing from behind as she caught the beast by surprise.

Ruby now saw why Hope had been so particular about this file: it was the time when Spirit and Horst had met. Judging from the thoughts that had gone through his head, Horst had been a Guardian for only a little bit longer than Spirit, but clearly the two were both skilled at combat. It was strange to see the instructor that was so sure of himself, and so comfortable in battle, in the middle of a fight when he was far less experienced. Somehow, it made Ruby feel a lot better about starting out.

"Intense, isn't it?" Ruby spun around, and was surprised to see Horst stepping down the ladder. The elder Guardian had on grey sweat pants and a white tank top, his overly tanned arms and feet exposed for all to see. Muscles rippled underneath scarred, brown skin as he stretched, still trying to release the soreness from his aching muscles. Behind him, Spirit stood in the doorway, a black tank top and a pair of spandex shorts that stopped just above her knees. To see so much of the Hunter's light blue, almost alabaster skin reminded Ruby of just how alien the Guardians were. And yet, she could now count herself among them.

"You could say that again. The Ghost doesn't just record what you say and do; it even remembers your thoughts and emotions." Ruby said in wonder, looking up as Summer appeared in the air at her shoulder. The crimson Ghost winked at the young Guardian, then turned her gaze to Horst. "That was incredible."

"Yes, it is an odd experience, to indulge in the memory of another. Of course, Switch's decision to show that particular memory is concerning." Horst's tone hardened at that, and the usually unapologetic Ghost quailed in terror. Behind Horst, Spirit chuckled and looked away, a light blush crossing her features like clouds darkening in a storm.

"Hope made me do it! It wasn't my idea, honest!" Switch defended himself shrilly, flying out of reach of his Guardian as Horst continued to glare at his companion. Ruby watched in amusement as the Ghost flew through the wall back into the crew quarters, phasing through the wall as he had done earlier. Spirit shook her head and followed the Ghost toward the cockpit. Horst and Ruby shared a laugh as they watched him go, though they were interrupting by an unlady-like snort from the floor.

"What's so funny?" Nora asked with a yawn, rubbing the sleep from her eyes as she sat up slowly. Beside her, Ren continued to sleep quietly, totally oblivious to his partner's actions. Nora let out another yawn and looked around, surprised to see Ruby and Horst standing over her.

"Oh hey guys! When did you get here?" She asked cheerfully, waking up clearly not affecting her mood in the slightest. Nora was the embodiment of a morning person. Ruby and Horst exchanged a look, then looked back down at Nora.

"I've been out here for a few minutes. Professor Horst just came out." Ruby explained. "Did...you sleep on Ren last night?" At Ruby's question, Nora blushed slightly and looked around for her comatose partner. When she found him, Nora smacked his face lightly, but Ren did not react. Once he had gotten out from underneath her, poor Ren was out like a light. Once she saw that he was not going to wake up, Nora turned around and grinned widely.

"Yeah, he's really comfy. But he sleeps a lot. Like a sloth!" With that exuberant declaration, Nora stood up quickly, stretching her arms over her head and moving much more quickly than either Ruby or Horst expected. The two shook their heads at her antics and stepped out of the way as the hammer wielder dashed up the ladder towards the bathroom, presumably to take a shower. In her absence, Ren simply continued to sleep.

"She is a very...bright person, isn't she?" Horst asked. Ruby snickered at that, and nodded in agreement. In the crew quarters, they could hear more people talking, and presumably at least two of their friends had woken up. The rest would likely follow, and Switch's idea to show the kids a few missions from Horst's record would likely be a lot easier. If the coward would come back out of the crew quarters, that is. Ruby looked Horst up and down, noticing his relaxed attire, and cocked a brow. The Titan's expression changed to one of defensive curiosity at her inspection.

"What?" The reaper looked away and found the ceiling very interesting all of a sudden.

"Nothing. It's just weird to see you so relaxed. Normally, we see you in armor or at least in your suit." Ruby held up her hands. "Not that it's a bad thing. It's just different." Horst blinked at that response, then looked down at his clothes. After a few moments, he relaxed and sighed. After spending every waking day either training, fighting, or investigating, the prospect of relaxing was so foreign to him. The long nap with Spirit's hospitality and the long overdue off day made Horst realize just how tired he had been.

"I suppose you're right." He admitted, and slowly sat down on the ground next to Ren, sitting on his butt and propping his arms up behind him. Ruby knelt down next to him as the Titan raised one hand and rubbed his face wearily. "I shouldn't snap, but it's odd not having something or someone trying to get the better of me. I don't take breaks like these often, and it's always difficult to let go for a while."

"Is it always like that? Doing so much to beat the bad guys?" Ruby asked tentatively. "I mean, Huntsmen do the same thing, don't get me wrong, but is it really that bad? With the Darkness?" She didn't sound scared, per se, more surprised than anything. But it reminded him that he was there to teach them. And to bring them into the fight against the Darkness.

"Huntsmen do fight the Grimm with similar tenacity. Unfortunately, new Huntsmen are trained every day. I mean, we're at an academy to train more warriors against the Grimm. But you are Guardians now; new Guardians are much less common, and far more necessary." Horst looked at Ruby with a serious expression, his scarred eye boring into her. "Huntsmen have Kingdoms, safe areas, and enough marshal strength to fight off an impossible assault of Grimm. The people of Remnant are comfortable enough with the threat of the Grimm that they can entertain conflict with each other. With the Guardians, there is only the Tower. The Last City. There are a few who have abandoned the fight, or pursue other ways to fight the enemy. But the vast majority of Guardians are there to fight the Darkness. And we are still losing."

Ruby's eyes widened at that. In their previous conversations, Horst had always alluded that the fight with the Fallen, the Vex, and all the other monsters in the dark was a difficult one. But this was the first time he had openly admitted that the Guardians were losing. It didn't make her reconsider joining – a little late for that anyway – but the prospect of entering a losing battle left Ruby conflicted. She had always wanted to help people, ever since she was a little girl. Her mother, her father, even Yang had always encouraged Ruby to seek out people in need of help and help them. The Guardians were clearly in desperate need of help, the kind you can provide with Crescent Rose and a few dozen magazines. But doubt began to creep into her mind: would it be enough? To see a warrior as powerful as Horst battered down as he was, it made Ruby wonder if she and her friends were enough to turn the tide.

"Is it really that bad?" She asked quietly, rubbing her arm nervously as she considered the future. Vale and the rest of Remnant got by on peace treaties and cooperation, humanity banding together to fight the darkness at their borders. But even then, criminals and terrorists threatened the peace. In the world of the Guardians, almost everyone was united against the enemy forces. And even with that uncommon camaraderie, they were still losing. At her question, Horst shook his head.

"It's not all bad. In the past two years alone, we have accomplished more in the fight against the Darkness than in the previous fifty. We've conquered the Vault of Glass, the Black Garden, and almost completely wiped out three Fallen Houses. We are gaining ground not seen under Guardian control in centuries. But the reason we came here for your help is that the Guardians are not enough. We need more help." Horst grinned and nudged her with the knuckle of his left hand, forcing her out of her uncertain haze. "You guys are far more powerful than we expected. If we can connect our worlds, get safe travel between Earth and Remnant, we may finally be able to achieve the peace we want."

A shriek interrupted their conversation from the crew cabin, followed by a loud smack and running footfalls. Shortly after, Spirit's loud guffaws could be heard rapidly approaching. The Hunter held her sides as she struggled to regain her breath, a painfully gleeful expression crossing her face as she struggled to reign in her jubiliations. She only partially succeeded, calming down to the random chuckle every now and then. Ruby and Horst stared at the Hunter, wondering what had made her laugh as she had.

"You may want to check on the rest of the crew. They're waking up, anyway." Spirit said as she wiped away a tear, before another fit of reluctant giggles overtook her. Ruby rolled her eyes and stood up, running up the ladder past Spirit while Horst simply walked. As Ruby climbed up and went into the crew quarters, Horst gave Spirit a surprised look, particularly about her uncharacteristic behavior. Spirit managed to reign in her chuckles, but the satisfied smirk refused to leave her face as she stared back up at the Titan.

"What was that all about?" He asked, peeking around the corner to see what had happened. Spirit shook her head and chuckled again, then swatted his arm.

"Nothing. It just looks like Jaune and Pyrrha aren't the only two we'll have to keep an eye on." The Hunter said mysteriously. Horst blinked in confusion, and stepped past her into the crew bay to get some answers. When he had walked out of the master bedroom, Yang and Blake had been cuddled up on the couch nice and snug, while Jaune and Pyrrha had been very comfortable on their pad against the wall. Now, the two warriors were sitting up, looking around in confusion between the couch and the now closed bathroom door. Ruby was doing so as well. Blake was nowhere to be seen, presumably in the shower by the sound of rushing water. Yang, however, wore a cheesy grin on the couch, and a red handprint shone on her cheek. As Horst took in the scene, an idea of what had happened began to take shape in his mind. Horst glared at the blonde on the couch.

"Yang." His voice was reproachful, but there was an ounce of humor in it as well. Yang grinned and shrugged, pinching air to emphasize what she had done.

"Eh, I couldn't resist." The brawler replied, wincing slightly at the stinging handprint on her cheek. Ruby looked between the two, a blank look of confusion on her face as she clearly missed the implications. Jaune and Pyrrha, however, both blushed and stood up from their pad. The two whistled awkwardly as the yound leader of RWBY struggled to understand exactly what her sister had done to earn a slap from Blake.

"So, good morning everyone?" Pyrrha tried, rubbing her arm sheepishly in an attempt to change the subject. Jaune chuckled nervously too and rubbed his head, just as embarrassed as his girlfriend was. Horst nodded toward the two warriors in greeting, though they seemed as surprised about his casual attire as Ruby was.

"Morning, guys! Switch was going to show us some old missions that Horst ran. They're like movies, but way cooler!" Ruby said enthusiastically, her excitement about the videos overcoming her confusion over Blake and Yang's encounter. Jaune and Pyrrha exchanged a look. Jaune shrugged and inclined his head toward Ruby, more asking permission than suggesting, and Pyrrha nodded with a small smile.

"That sounds wonderful. Although, I think I could use a shower first." Pyrrha said aplogetically, some color dusting her face as she looked down at herself. The grime that she had acquired in the previous day's struggles covered her greaves and battle skirt, and her arms were dusted with a mired combination of sweat and dust. Jaune was mostly covered by his hodie and jeans, and he raised an arm and took a precautionary sniff of his pit. The look of revulsion that crossed his face sealed the deal for his shower as well.

The door leading into the occupied bunkroom slid open to reveal Weiss, the heiress already dressed and ready for the day as she surveyed the room calmly. Her eyes swept across Yang, Horst, Ruby, and the two warriors before they returned to Horst in his tank top and sweat pants. Her eyebrow rose in silent judgment of his attire, but then again Horst didn't seem the kind of guy to care about another's opinion on his wardrobe choices. Instead of voicing her concerns, Weiss just inclined her head respectfully.

"Good morning everyone. I hope Ruby's snoring didn't wake anyone up." She said cordially, though her partner did puff up in response.

"I do not snore!" Ruby defended loudly, a little too earnestly to be genuine. When she realized that she may have overreacted, the reaper lowered her head and kicked her boot along the floor glumly. "Not much anyway..." Yang saw her sister's reaction and snickered, before standing up from the couch and stretching her arms over her head. The red handprint on her cheek slowly began to fade, her Light soothing the aggravated tissue as she yawned.

"Well, I guess everyone's awake. As soon as the showers are over, how about we get this movie train rolling?" Yang said cheerfully, offering a cheesy thumbs up and a wink. Weiss and Ruby both sighed at the blonde's antics, while Horst rolled his eyes and Jaune and Pyrrha chuckled. That being said, her idea held some merit. Now, all Horst had to figure out was what memories Switch had chosen. There were many to choose from, considering his service record. But some missions had been difficult, or just plain silly.

It took several minutes for Nora to exit the other bunkroom (Horst was wondering where she had gone) and Blake to get out of the shower. As the Faunus passed Yang, her eyes slitted in a combination of reproach and suspicion. Yang winked and stuck her tongue out at Blake, but that was all she did. No need to antagonize her partner any further. Ruby and Weiss set up in the cargo bay next to Ren, who continued his slumber uninterrupted by their preparations. Switch finally was coaxed out of the cockpit by Hope and Spark, largely due to Spark calling him a coward. The Ghost finally returned to the cargo hold to project the next memory, but only after extracting a promise from Horst that the Titan wouldn't use him as a hackey sack after all was said and done. Horst had hesitantly agreed.

Thirty minutes after everyone save Ren had awoken and gotten dressed, RWBY, JNPR, Horst, and Spirit all had padded mats out in the cargo bays floor, everyone leaning back on their elbows or lying on their stomachs to stare up at the 'screen'. Blake reluctantly took up a spot next to Yang, who immediately threw an arm over her partner with a bright and cheery smile. Blake resisted at first, but ultimately decided that it wasn't worth the fight and that she could be mad at Yang later. Once the teams were comfortable, each Guardian's Ghost (except for Switch) merged with their companions, allowing them to hear and feel the sounds and thoughts of the memory. There were varied reactions to the disturbing feeling; Pyrrha and Nora shivered uncomfortably, Jaune's eyes widened and he grasped his head as if fighting a migraine. Yang blinked rapidly and slapped her own head repeatedly in annoyance, while Blake's eyes went wide and her bow twitched continuously. Weiss showed the most restraint, merely blinking twice before settling in to screen resolved from its standard white noise and depicted a barren, rocky canyon. An orange sky hung above red clay and brown boulders, a dreary and harsh wind sending scattered trails of dust across the ground as it washed through the valley. Near the cliff wall, a large metal vehicle of some sort, with several troop compartments open and in use, sat at the ready.

"Oh no..." Horst muttered, smacking his face in dismay as he remembered this particular mission. And the individual they had gone on it with...

* * *

 _Horst slid underneath the slug rounds that the Cabal sent to greet him and came to a rest next to a medium sized boulder, the projectiles impacting the hard rock without hard. Whatever event had forming Mars eons ago had used some sturdy materials, since nearly anything on this planet could stop a bullet. That, and it was all rock. The crunch of boots behind him hailed the arrival of support, and a the cloaked form of Spirit slid in next to him. The Hunter peeked over the boulder and fired three rounds from Thorn, the cursed weapon barking sharply as it sent corrupted spikes down range. The hail of fire that pelted their position slackened somewhat, but still persisted as the surviving Cabal focused their fire._

 _"The space turtles are angry today." Spirit observed dryly, and Horst rolled his eyes. Normally he'd laugh at her humor, considering how rare a joke from Spirit was in the middle of combat. That being said, the laugh died in his throat long before he ever considered uttering it as more chunks of superheated slag arced over his head._

 _"I can't imagine why." He responded. "It may be that tank we destroyed earlier. They tend to be pretty possessive over their big guns." A break in the fire appeared as some of the Cabal reloaded, their companions struggling to provide enough cover to keep the Guardians pinned. Unfortunately for them, it wasn't sufficient to keep Horst in one spot. The Titan tossed a magnetic grenade blindly over his shoulder and rolled to the side, his hand lifting to his shoulder to draw his new sword. Chimera flashed in the corner of his eye as the Titan held it one handed, the blade reversed behind him as his right hand drew his sidearm. Horst's boots pounded the coarse Martian sand as he climbed the hill, passing fallen Cabal and quite a few shell casings from the chaingun wielding one. Behind him, Horst could hear Thorn barking defiance at the defending Cabal, and even more slug rounds stopped flying as their owners bit the dirt._

 _Horst jumped and vaulted over a black metal box, likely used for carrying ammo at some point, and came face to face with the first defender of the land tank he had encountered. Cabal were a large race, with the standard Legionnary towering at roughly nine feet and weighing around eight hundred pounds. Whatever planet had birthed these hardy, colossal creatures had to be a million times more deadly than Earth. Every Cabal wore both padding and metal hardened armor, all on top of a contained pressure suit to mimic the high gravity conditions of their home planet. Due to this pressure suit, armor breaches often lead to humorous pops as the formidable creatures struggled to breath prior to death. Speaking of which..._

 _Horst raised his sidearm and placed two high impact rounds in the Cabal's helmet, one in each of its large orange optics. The flat, nose-like protrusion on their helmet caved from the third shot, and the entire helmet burst apart with an explosion of rushing air. The shattered armor revealed a pinkish white head, bald and fat. Beady, piggish eyes widened in panic as the Legionnary struggled with its air flow, its wide jowls shaking as the low pressure of Mars released its life giving air into the atmosphere. With a low, gutteral groan, the large creature collapsed with a noticeable thud, and Horst sprinted on past. Spirit's shots found three more Legionnaries before Horst could get close enough to take them down, though the volume of her shots indicated she was moving up as well. A Phalanx blocked his path: a Legionnary equipped with a nearly indestructible shield that stood as tall as the Cabal itself. The creature tried in vain to shoot Horst down from the safety of its mobile defense shield, but the sword wielding Titan was too nimble to stay in its arc of fire. As the Cabal struggled to reposition, Horst slipped into its guard and kicked its shield away from its body. With the Cabal stunned and its defenses down, Horst spun and jammed Chimera into the alien's gut and out of its back. The body shuddered and went slack, and suddenly Horst was supporting half a ton with his sword. Spirit slowed from her run and stood next to Horst as the final Cabal fell, Chimera pulled free from its chestplate with a loud hiss of excaping air and spurting blood. A few more bodies littered the hill as Horst made the metal rampart, boarding the land tank itself even as he turned to survey the area. He and Spirit had arrived late to the party, it seemed; the third member of their Fireteam had already cleared out a significant amount of the Cabal._

 _"He's always overzealous like this when we fight Cabal." Spirit said, her tone indicating displeasure as she walked up the rampart. Horst nodded in disappointed agreement as he flicked Chimera away from him, scattering purplish black blood along the metal wall and cleaning his blade._

 _"You know he hates them. Just like you seem to hold a grudge against the Vex, he goes after the Cabal. I'd expect you of all people to understand." Horst said as they jogged deeper into the land tank. According to Zavala, the commander of the Cabal's version of special forces, the Siege Dancers, was holed up in this immense sand crawler. He had dispatched three Guardians to slip past the Cabal defenses and take down the commander, Valus Ta'aurc. After downing four of the commander's lieutenants, it seemed their quarry was close._

 _"Well, he's being a dick about it. Either clear the way, or wait for us to get here and we can all wipe them out. Shooting just enough to get by and charging ahead is just stupid." Spirit complained, rolling Thorn's cylinder and throwing a fresh canister into the weapon. Horst remained silent as they climbed another ramp, and soon they could hear the rapid fire of an auto rifle responding to a cacophony of several slug rifles echoing from deeper in the land tank. Exchanging looks, Horst and Spirit picked up the pace._

 _They came to a hallway with two entrances, one leading down into the main floor and another leading up onto a balcony of sorts. Naturally, Spirit went high while Horst stalked low, not running into a fight unprepared. As the Titan peeked around the corner, the explosion of a thermite grenade dimmed his vision as his helmet polarized to compensate. The Solar grenade emitted a towering column of fire, and sent a line of searing flames streaking along the floor and burning through the Cabal in its path. Horst stepped out into the room and onto the main floor, where several corpses and large crates sat cooling from the intense heat, the Cabal Legionnaries' armor glowing cherry red at the edges. On the other side of the room, near a stack of smaller crates used as an impromptu barricade, the third member of their team held a Cabal Psion by the throat, the small Cabal specialist struggling in his grip. Unlike every other Cabal soldier, Psions were small and fast. They stood at four, maybe five feet at most, and their lanky limbs were built for maneuvering and dodging rather than dealing blows. Their helmets were more spacious and sophisticated, to allow for their telekinetic and psionic abilities to manifest easier. These little guys were highly intelligent, mobile, and capable of unleashing waves of Arc energy that blasted along the ground. Their differences with the rest of the Cabal in both size and tactics was a mystery to the Vanguard, and whether or not they were a different species entirely was a constant debate._

 _This particular Psion was in no position to do more than struggle, its slug rifle discarded in the scramble and its concentration broken by its dwindling air supply. The armored gauntlet around its neck clenched, and Solar fire covered the alien in flames. The Titan dropped the shrieking Cabal specialist as it screamed in pain, but its wails were cut short by the fierce flames that soon consumed its body, leaving behind nothing but a burned out husk of armor and blackened ash. The Titan then looked up at Horst, his helmet's eye slits betraying nothing. This Guardian's armor resembled a midieval knight, with a templar helmet, slanted shoulder pauldrons, and intricately carved greaves and gauntlets bearing wolves and trees in the standard Iron Banner manner. The Armamentarium, an armor configuration designed to carry more grenades and ammunition, covered his chest, and a red and white Suros rifle was held downward in his right hand._

 _"Dammit Magnus, how many times do we have to tell you not to run ahead?!" Horst barked, his irritation clear as Spirit jumped down from the balcony as well. Even though he could not see his rival's face, Horst knew the Sunbreaker was staring back at him dispassionately._

 _"Keep up next time. I can't be expected to pull you along, especially when our target is just up ahead." Magnus' voice was deep, but there was an air of arrogance to it that betrayed his youth. By Guardian standards, Magnus was the youngest on the Fireteam, though he still had endured twenty years of combat in the wilds. Compared to Horst and Spirit who had survived for nearly a century, however, he was clearly the young buck. He and Horst enjoyed a friendly rivalry between each other, one they had inherited from their masters. That being said, Shaxx and Saladin were far more civil towards each other than their pupils._

 _"He's trying to say don't get killed, dickhead. I know you are tough and all, but we're going up against the upper echelon. If Zavala thought you could handle this alone, he wouldn't have bothered with us." Spirit snarled reproachfully, pacing near the crates as the three meandered closer to the door. Whereas Horst enjoyed Magnus' company (most of the time), Spirit outright despised the man. Lone wolves were not welcome in some circles, and the Order of the Alpha Lupi were especially cross with Guardians that thought they could do everything alone. Considering Spirit had learned the Law of the Jungle early on in her career, it provided the foundation for her beliefs. And Magnus' careless charge had left her and Horst stranded._

 _"We were sent here to kill the target. The other Cabal don't matter. Besides, they were broken when I came through, nowhere near enough for a counterattack." Magnus defended. "You're being paranoid."_

 _Spirit growled, but refrained from further argument as the three stepped into a very large room. Several large crates like they had seen previously littered the area, both on the main floor and on the two catwalks that followed along either side. Ramps at each end lead upward onto the catwalks, and a gargantuan pair of blast doors on the far side of the room halted their advance. Still, their intel had indicated that this was Ta'aurc's main stomping ground. If he wasn't in here, he would be soon. You didn't climb the Cabal heirarchy with cowardice, and leaders in the Empire were often the first ones in the fight._

 _Magnus and Horst both stepped out into the center of the room, the two catwalks along either side hanging over them. Horst had Chimera in a two handed grip, while Magnus held his rifle at the ready. In the back of the room, Spirit was likely setting up with her modified Longbow Synthesis, a powerful Vanguard sniper rifle designed with the Cabal in mind. The weapon handled slowly, and carried an appended magazine, but this particular one that Spirit had customized put down the big armored bastards like no other rifle in its class._

 _"Keep us covered, Spirit." Horst semi ordered, scanning for any contacts. Considering how devoted Cabal were to their leaders, it was strange not to see any footsoldiers in the area where their supreme leader was hiding. It went against standard Cabal protocol, and that made Horst antsy. Magnus seemed unfazed, but considering his usual strategy of 'kill everything in sight and burn the remains', that didn't help much. Cabal were strategic and disciplined – an absence of the norm meant that they were clearly plotting something._

 _The two Titans reached to far door, and yet there was no sign of Valus Ta'aurc or his lackeys. The two looked around the room again, keen for any sign of their oversized prey. And yet, nothing, not even a trap or explosive, came to their eyes. Spirit's scope glinted in the shadows from her corner, and nothing else came to their view. Horst let Chimera fall to his side, one hand falling to his hip and he cut his eyes to Magnus._

 _"You didn't hear notice anything about them relocating while you slaughtered your way here, did you?" Horst tried, though he doubted the Sunbreaker had noticed anything he had not. To his chagrin, Magnus shook his head, though his grip on his rifle did not relax._

 _"My grasp on the Cabal language isn't perfect, but I don't think anything intelligible escaped their mouths when I cut them down. Besides," he added. " Cabal do not run. He is here, I can feel it." Horst let his shoulders slump, though he had fully expected something along those lines. Where was this big bastard, anyway?_

 _(_ **Mental Meta Metal** by _Jeff Williams)_

 _A loud hiss and clank directly behind them caused the two Titans to turn around, Chimera coming up as they readied their weapons. The large lock on the door slowly rotated, drawing the massive bolts from within the blast doors and allowing them to part. Clearly, their host felt the need to greet them. As the gap between the two massive doors widened slowly, Horst and Magnus backed off a bit and separated, so that whatever emerged had to target two different warriors at once. The move proved to be doubly advantageous, as the large blast doors weren't the only ones opening. Multiple doors both on the balconies and on ground level began to open, and Legionnaries aplenty poured out into the room. Spirit's rifle began barking its defiance, ensuring Horst and Magnus that they didn't have to worry about flanking enemies, but it also cost them their sniper support. And the Colossus that emerged from the blast door was enormous._

 _Valus Ta'aurc was massive, standing at least twenty five feet tall. He was covered in redundant and thick plated armor, white and sleek as it gleamed in the artificial light. The massive Cabal stomped forward into the room, revealing two red banners that flew from a ridge on each shoulder pauldron. The shield and circle of the Siege Dancers waved problem on the red marks, and the huge commander waved his weapon around in agitated fury. A massive chaingun spat fire up the wall near Horst, causing the Titan to duck, and up into the ceiling as Ta'aurc stepped fully into the room, allowing the blast doors to close behind him. His casual spray of fire told the Guardians two things: he had a lot of ammunition, and he was feeling quite generous with it._

 _"LIGHT THE BASTARD UP!" Magnus roared, and his auto rifle came to life as he spat dozens of rounds into the Cabal leader's helmet. The small caliber bullets did little more than scratch the paint on Ta'aurc's helmet, but it did serve to get his attention. And help the immense Cabal choose his first target. The massive chaingun swept right and locked onto Magnus, causing the Sunbreaker to move off underneath the catwalk, where support beams and columns provided more cover than the open room. A hail of gunfire escaped the rotating barrels, sending hot lead streaming after him. Horst took this time to close the distance between himself and Ta'aurc, bringing Chimera across the Cabal's lesser armor behind the right knee. The blade bit into the armor, but not enough to pierce flesh. A loud scrape came from the contact as Horst made another slash, deepening the furrow in Ta'aurc's leg armor. The greaves still held, refusing to reward Horst with the blood he sought. To make matters worse, Magnus' fire from the catwalk dwindled as more Cabal Legionnaries pushed in from the sides, keen on finishing off the Guardian their commander had pushed into the corner._

 _Without the Sunbreaker to distract Ta'aurc, Horst soon found himself ducking under large, heavy hands as the commander tried to squish him with its immense strength. The Colossus swiped again and again, but Horst proved two fast to catch as he continued slashing at joints and firing his pistol into the Cabal leader's armor. There seemed to be little effect, but every enemy had a weak spot; you just had to find one or create it yourself. Unfortunately, Ta'aurc finally became fed up with this Ring Around the Rosie bullshit and lifted a massive foot. Horst saw the action and attempted to jump clear, but did not cross enough distance to completely evade the shockwave produced by Ta'aurc's foot slamming into the ground. Floor plates buckled and rent from the immense power behind the stomp, and pure kinetic energy sent Horst flying through the air towards Spirit's hiding spot. Horst watched the Valus grow smaller as he flew away, and winced in atnicipation as the opposite wall drew closer. He slid across the floor for nearly twenty feet before finding the wall, and even despite preparation the impact knocked the wind out of him._

 _Beside him, Horst could barely see Spirit reloading her sniper rifle, its heavy weight making her movements slow and careful. Horst groaned as pain persisted in his back, proving just how far the quake had sent him flying. Wincing within his helmet, Horst could barely see Magnus dumping ammunition into the Cabal footsoldiers, bodies falling on both ends of the ramp the Sunbreaker found himself stranded on. The catwalk and support beams kept him out of direct fire from Ta'aurc, but the supporting Cabal troops were making things interesting Magnus._

 _"Try not to get hit, stud." Spirit chided without looking at him, reaching out to touch a Phalanx that leaned too far out from its shield's protection. "You'll do a lot more damage if your bones aren't broken." Horst snorted and clamoured to his feet, the pain already ebbing away. His armor had thankfully taken most of the force, and he was ready for round two. Horst stopped and examined the situation, assessing Valus Ta'aurc's strengths and looking for weaknesses. As he watched, the Cabal commander raised his chaingun high into the air, and in response a battery of missile launchers on his back spat eight tracking rockets into the air. Each one sought out Magnus as he felled the last lackey in his vicinity, forcing the Sunbreaker to move quickly and avoid the concussive force of Ta'aurc's missiles. Even if he didn't have the chaingun, Ta'aurc was a worthy foe._

 _That was it. The chaingun._

 _"Spirit, I have a plan." Horst said, keying his mic so that Magnus could hear him over the comm as well. "But we all need to get close to him." Finally looking away from her scope, Spirit looked at him with the air of someone in total disbelief._

 _"Mind running that by me again? I think I had something crazy in my ear." She said seriously, her tone brooking no room for jokes. Horst grinned within his helmet, and hefted Chimera in significance._

 _"If you and I disarm him and keep him busy, Magnus can finally put all that hot boiling rage to good use." He said with a toothy grin. Spirit stared at him for a good few seconds, and only looked away to drop a Psion that was getting too close to Magnus._

 _"Whatever you're planning, do it now. I could use some assistance." Magnus said with some bite, indignant at being the only contributing member in the Fireteam. Horst looked at Spirit and nodded, then charged up the ramp of the catwalk opposite from Magnus, holstering his sidearm in favor of focusing on Chimera. Spirit watching him go for a few tense seconds, then cursed and followed behind. As Horst pounded along the catwalk, a few Psions stepped out to stop his advance. Their decapitated bodies fell to the deck without him even breaking stride. Below on the main floor, the patter of feet and distorted shadows were the only way he could tell Spirit was moving in as well, her cloak activated to keep Ta'aurc from ventilating her insides. Magnus continued to trade fire with the Colossus, allowing Horst to stamp down the ramp closest to the Cabal commander even as Spirit reached Ta'aurc._

 _The Hunter's cloak failed just as she slipped behind the immense Cabal, and her dagger glowed with Arc Light as she slashed the same knee joint Horst had attempted at the start of the fight. The damage he had already done coupled with her enhanced bone blade finally earned a groan of pain from Ta'aurc and a spurt of blood from the joint as the Colossus sank to one knee, his injured limb curled beneath him on reflex. The action brought the chaingun to the ground and ceased its relentless fire, allowing Magnus to move in as well. Spirit slashed at the other knee as well, but was forced to slide underneath a sweeping backhand from Ta'aurc as he struggled to fend off the closing Guardians. Horst and Magnus reached the commander at approximately the same time, and Horst kicked the hot barrels of the chaingun toward Magnus and away from Ta'aurc. The Cabal commander roared in protest as Magnus slapped a thermite grenade onto the massive weapon, pushing off of the gun even as the grenade ignited and ruined its firing mechanism._

 _Horst grinned at the victory, but he knew it wasn't over yet. Even without his weapon and crippled, Valus Ta'aurc was not the leader of the Siege Dancers for his ability to pull a trigger. As if to demonstrate that, the Cabal commander held an arm high and waited for Spirit to step underneath it. The Hunter failed to notice the prepared appendage until it was too late, and the commander swatted down upon her with a savage roar. Spirit rolled away on instinct, but the impact of his fist meeting metal send her away from its concussion. This left Magnus and Horst closing in, and the Colossus had handled more formidable enemies than these in the past._

 _"Magnus, disable his arms!" Horst called out, and attempted to sever Ta'aurc's left arm by stabbing upward into the commander's armpit. Again, even the weaker armor deflected Chimera's vicious bite, but the sword did well to leave a mark and weaken the material. Horst was forced to roll away as Ta'aurc retaliated with another sweeping arm, and Magnus took the chance to grab hold of the other arm with both of his own. Against a Titan's strength, Valus Ta'aurc found himself paused in motion by the unexpected resistance on his arm. The Colossus looked down in surprise and saw Magnus on his arm, and quickly used more strength to free himself. The Cabal lifted Magnus into the air almost effortlessly, even despite his attempts to remain grounded, and shook his arm as if it had fallen asleep on him. Magnus stubbornly remained latched on, but it was clear that he could not hold on forever. Horst dodging around the flailing Colossus, wary of being crushed under its massive weight, and stabbed upward with Chimera into the same weak spot at the Cabal's armpit. Just as before, a successive hit was enough to breach Ta'aurc's armor, and Horst was drenched in purplish black blood. The Cabal commander roared in agony and swung his uninjured arm across his body, knocking Horst and his blade free of the wound and sending both Titans free of the harassing Guardians, Ta'aurc attempted to stand with mixed success, his left leg limping slightly from the furrow Horst and Spirit had carved into the joint. As Horst slid to a stop, his shiny armor sending spark flying as it scraped along the metal plates, he slid to one knee even before the momentum ended. Behind him, Magnus rolled across the floor a little farther, coming to a stop next to where Spirit stood. Despite her discomfort with the Titan, Spirit helped him to his feet without request. The Cabal commander faced its three attackers, roaring in rage and beating its huge chest in defiance. It's chaingun was too far away to reach with its injury, and launching missiles against multiple targets would simpy waste ammunition. Still, the Cabal did not die cowering in the dark. They howled defiance at their enemies, and never backed down._

 _Guardians were not known for quitting either. Horst looked around at Spirit and Magnus, and the Fireteam shared a nod. It was time to end this mission and break the Cabal's hold on Freehold. With unspoken assent, all three Guardians charged at once. Spirit cut across to Ta'aurc's right, angling toward the arm that Horst had injured. Horst moved toward the left arm, and had to sidestep the swipe from the Cabal as he struggled to take down Spirit. As the Hunter ducked underneath the strike, her knife lit up with Arc energy as she activated her dance. She and Horst both jumped upward, though Spirit had to use a smaller blade. The Hunter jammed her supercharged dagger into Ta'aurc's already bleeding wound, twisting it and slicing enough nerves and tendons to render the limb useless. On the other side, Horst came down from above the shoulder and drove Chimera down into the commander's shoulder. The blade pierced Ta'aurc's armor and flesh, and Horst's weight along with the pain sent Ta'aurc reeling with a great bellow. Magnus brought up the final blow, his body alit with flame as he tackled Ta'aurc right in the chest. The two Titans' strength and weight, coupled with the arm Spirit had rendered useless, compounded into a fall that the Colossus could not stop with its wounded leg. The room seemed to shake as they rode the large creature to the ground, but Magnus wasn't finished._

 _The Sunbreaker did not wield the signature Hammer of Sol that was so iconic with the doctrine. Instead, his clenched fisted rained searing blow after blow directly into Ta'aurc's white helmet. Each impact scratched, dented, and tore at the armor as if he had molten claws. A savage growl escaped Magnus as he continued raining blows, tearing metal giving way until the flying bits became far more organic. On Horst's side, he struggled to hold the impaled limb down as Magnus continued to go to town on Ta'aurc's face. The air became choked with the odor of burnt flesh and blood, and the crunches of steel on bone slowly became meatier and deeper._

 _Magnus hauled up the Cabal commander's head with one hand, even as Horst and Spirit removed their blades. Ta'aurc was defeated, but Magnus' fury guaranteed he would claim the killing blow. With Ta'aurc's ruined helmet mohawk gripped in one hand, the Sunbreaker lifted the Cabal's head upward enough to hear his menacing whisper._

 _"Get the fuck off of my planet, you filth." With that last curse, Magnus brought his fist back with a roar of triumph and drove it downward, his flames flaring brightly as he punched all the way through Ta'aurc's head, his blood drenched fingers sprouting from the back of the ruined helmet on the other side. The Colossus' body shuddered as its nerves began firing randomly, a series of twitches racking its limbs as he yanked his arm free. With the fight done, both Horst and Spirit sighed in relief and slumped up against the corpse, sinking down to the floor even as Magnus rolled off of Ta'aurc's chest and into the floor._

 _"Ow." The Titan protested weakly, his flames extinguished by the impact. Horst sighed heavily and brought up his hand, summoning Switch. The black Ghost appeared above his hand, his one eye surveying the Titan that now relaxed against the corpse of a titanic Cabal commander._

 _"Switch, tell Zavala that Ta'aurc is dead. And get another team here to secure the land tank. There could be valuable intelligence here." Horst said, then let his head fall back onto the armored chest behind him. On the other side, he heard Spirit chuckle._

 _"So, who's up for round two?" She said with a laugh, and Magnus groaned from the floor. The younger Guardian wasn't used to channeling his Light so fiercely, though he had been a Sunbreaker for most of his Guardian career. Burning through high end Cabal armor in one punch required a lot of energy._

 _"I tap out. You two can do the work for once." Magnus muttered, waving his hand dismissively before letting it fall the ground once more. Horst shook his head and let his hand fall as well._

 _"I hate this planet."_

* * *

The video slowly faded to black, the last image of Horst's armored legs splayed out in front of him lingering on the projected screen. Ruby shook her head at the foreign feeling, despite her experience with the previous memory, it was still too weird to have another person's thoughts in her head. That being said, JNPR and the rest of her team were even more surprised by how the memory had played out.

"Whoa, talk about a head rush." Yang muttered, rubbing her temples groggily. Blake said nothing, but her bow was flattened against her head in a subtle sign of distress. Nora, however, seemed unfazed by the strange experience.

"That was awesome!" She crowed, causing Ren to flinch in his sleep. The ninja still did not wake, but Nora quieted down regardless. Ruby looked back at Horst, who just stared at the screen Switch continued to display grimly. It had clearly been a rough fight, and they had not seen the entire mission, from how tired the Guardians had been at the end. Ruby, however, was more interested in the Sunbreaker they had seen.

"That other Titan, Magnus." Ruby said. "Is he a friend of yours?"

Horst breathed in deeply, then exhaled out his nose as he struggled to describe the relationship he had with Magnus. The younger Titan was a student of Saladin, the last of the Iron Lords and Lord Shaax's former mentor as well. With Horst claiming apprenticeship under Shaax and Magnus Saladin's only student, it lead to a rivalry that they had inherited from their masters. That being said, the two had enjoyed activities other than cobat and missions. The two Titans alone had absolutely destroyed a bar in the City on leave, and had been barred from leaving the Tower for a week as a result. However, Magnus wasn't the most friendly Guardian Horst knew. Magnus preferred solo work, and often volunteered for brutal, long term patrol missions along the surface of Mars. He had been responsible for several quick responses that had saved less experienced Guardians. Magnus cared about his fellow Guardians, but he did not tolerate weakness or discontent.

"Magnus is a complicated is one of the most dedicated Titans I have ever met, but at the same time his competitiveness has earned him as many friends as enemies. Our masters were once close, but the difficulty of our struggle against the Darkness pushed them apart. Through myself and Magnus, Lord Saladin and my master, Lord Shaax, have put their rivalry into a new generation. That cantakerous fire tosser has saved my butt as often as I have saved his. He is a reluctant friend." Horst explained. "He's alright when he's not in the field. But there are few that hate the Cabal as much as he does." Spirit roleld her golden eyes and snorted, crossing her arms and hunching forward.

"He's an ass." That was all she felt to say about the Titan, and she clearly held the Sunbreaker in much lower regard than Horst.

"Well, he seems pretty strong." Yang said with a smirk. "I like his style, punching faces and taking names. Hyah!" She cried out, punching the empty air in excitement. Beside her, Blake leaned away slightly to allow her partner room to goof off. Jaune and Pyrrha spoke quietly between themselves, Pyrrha speculating whether or not her Semblance would affect the alien race. Jaune disagreed, noting the padded suits underneath the armor.

"Hey, show them the Vex. That big bastard underneath the Academy that we dealt with." Spirit nudged Horst, and he couldn't help but agree. Sekrion had been a pain in the ass, but it would be a good way to display the Vex's power. That, and Magnus had eaten a wall for breakfast trying to wrestle a Minotaur.

"Alright Switch, fire up the mission with Sekrion." Horst called, and the Ghost's eye beam pulsed as he carried out the request.

* * *

Not a bad little filler, provided some Strikes and a humorous diversion for all the Guardians. It will get more educational for the kids next chapter as they grow into their new roles, but I felt they needed to recuperate before the training began.


	20. Chapter 20

**Chapter 20**

* * *

The benefit of the CCT on a war torn, isolated world such as Remnant was that information sharing was easy. Outside of secured military communications, information sharing was encouraged between Huntsmen and civilians. It made Grimm attacks and behavior easier to predict, shared strategies for more effective defense, and promoted camaraderie between kingdoms in the presence of a common enemy.

It also meant that the video of Horst eradicating an entire courtyard of Grimm in one decisive blow was being broadcasted all over the world. Ozpin sipped his mug as a video taken from a scroll of Horst's attack was displayed on Vale's morning news. The ticker hailed the staggering power of Beacon's newest instructor (as he had asked them to), but Ozpin knew that more questions were rearing their heads. The younger generation would ask where this awesome new Huntsman came from, but the current Huntsmen and Huntresses will ask the same question in a far more serious tone. Huntsmen were far more plentiful than Guardians, but they still met each other often. And a Huntsmen with Horst's overwhelming power would not go unnoticed in any circle. So where had this immensely powerful man come from? And how had he achieved entrance into one of the most prominent combat schools so quickly?

 _I fear that this may become messy._ Ozpin though glumly as he sipped his tea. He sat in his chair, watching several screens at once on his holographic projection. Feeds from Vale, Atlas, Vacuo, and Mistral all carried imges of Horst from blurry images taken by scrolls and more offcial shots from his time as a teacher. Questions abounded: where had he come from? How had he acquired such power? Was he a Faunus, or a human? Many of the forces Ozpin had shielded the Guardians from with anonymity now sought to play against them. Horst and Spirit would likely adjust accordingly, but the students worried Ozpin. All of them were first years, though Pyrrha and Weiss were likely more used to scrutiny than the rest. Ruby especially was nervous around crowds, and not used to so many people examining her every move.

Still, the Headmaster had to consider the perks of the situation as well. A key player in the enemy's machinations had been captured, a secret White Fang base destroyed with all hands either killed or abandoning their post, and a Grimm invasion with no casualties. Without the quick reaction of Spirit, Horst, and their students, many more people would have suffered. They had played the part of Guardians perfectly. But that was the problem.

"The council will love this." He muttered to himself, and stood to free himself from the holographic prison he had been sentenced to. Glynda was likely awake by now, planning an itinerary for the students who had not gone home for the break. After the invasion, Ozpin had suspended classes for two weeks so that students could check in with their families as needed. Not all of them had taken up his generous offer, but there had been a small exodus in the past day of students whose families lived inside the city limits. With a few students remaining behind, including RWBY and JNPR (technically), Glynda needed to keep some modicum of order within the academy.

Ozpin pressed a button next to the door, and his strange clockwork stairs melted into the walls to make room for an elevator, which climbed up to his office with a quiet hiss and the clank of rotating gears. As the doors parted and allowed him entry, he leaned his cane against his leg and pulled his scroll from a breast pocket on his jacket. A few light touches later, and he had sent a request to Spirit to bring everyone to the training room when they got back. According to Ironwood's soldiers, as soon as the Atlesian Knights had secured the courtyard in Vale, Spirit's ship had taken off into the sky. No further reports of the large starship had been reported. Though he trusted Spirit and Horst, not knowing the location of his students so soon after a dangerous mission irritated Ozpin slightly.

At the bottom of the shaft, the doors opened not out into a bustling courtyard in the middle of Beacon, but rather in a long, dark hallway with high arching ceilings. Green torches came to life as he stepped out into the hall, his shoes clicking softly against the mirrored floor. The sound of his feet striking the floor echoed all around, only to be swallowed up by the inky blackness and far reaching corners. Only dust gathered in these halls; no one came down here frequently save Ozpin himself, though occassionally Glynda would step down for a quick check up. After all, there was only one patient, so to speak.

Horst had made him aware of how large the world truly was, and showed them a threat that could easily wipe out the entire planet, Grimm and human alike. Ozpin was thankful for this awareness, and the support provided by the Guardians. But he had not revealed to them the struggle he and a select few others had carried for hundreds of years. As he walked down the immense corridor, a strange machine loomed in the darkness. Ironwood's Atlesian contacts provided cutting edge technology, and his dabbling in artificial aura creation with the Schnee Dust Company provided the closest thing to a solution to Remnant's current plight. Or, at least, one aspect of it.

As he reached the machinery, two metal pods sat opposite of each other, with a holographic console in between them. A multitude of tubes, cables, and conduits connected the three machines together. The pod on the right was empty, as its glass canopy showed nothing but blue padding within. The one on the left, however...

A brown haired young woman, in her mid to late twenties at most, slept peacefully in the left pod. Through the transluscent canopy, her only clothing consisted up white cloth wraps around her chest and waist to protect her modesty. The woman slept peacefully, and appeared to be quite beautiful – were in not for the angry scar that webbed across her face. A series of interconnected burns across her face darkened her skin, where those that had attacked her had attempted to take her powers – and partially succeeded.

She was Amber, the Fall Maiden, and she was clinging to life. For as long as he could remember, Ozpin had sworn to protect the Maidens. For years, centuries if the legends were to be credited, the Maidens of Remnant had been instrumental in holding back the darkness, and the creatures of Grimm that covered the world. However, the darkness within man's heart lead to the Maidens being secreted away, protected through discretion and secret. Yet even despite this, their failure – and _his_ failure – slumbered before him. The forces that conspired against them had outwitted him, and Autumn now lay suffering for it.

Despite his age and experience with this long struggle, anguish still marred Ozpin's face as he looked down upon the sleeping Maiden. He held no illusions for what they were: weapons to combat the darkness. No matter what their dreams and aspirations were before attaining their power, the Maidens would always be slaves to their purpose. A Maiden could garden, fight, race, and do all the things that she enjoyed doing. But she would still be a Maiden, burdened with power and purpose that had been passed down for years uncounting. The eerie tale told by Horst and their encounter with the Taken King, this creature calling itself Oryx, haunted his thoughts.

 _ **"Creatures of that infernal Traveler and its cursed Maidens!"**_ If Horst and Spirit did not know about the Maidens, but this ancient creature of Darkness did, that did not bode well for Remnant. It was as if they were looking at an incomplete jigsaw puzzle; Ozpin, Ironwood, and the others had one piece, while Horst and the Guardians carried another. In order to gain even ground with their encroaching foe, they would have to put their knowledge together. And that meant revealing Autumn and the rest of the Maidens to the Guardians.

Everything Ozpin had exercised in secret spoke out against the decision. They could trust Horst and Spirit, to be sure, but would the rest of the Guardians be so dependable? Even Horst, the more optimistic of the two, claimed that infighting among the Great Consensus left the Tower hobbled by politics and bureacracy. In all matters except fighting the Darkness, the Guardians were divided. But their unity against a common foe was something even Remnant did not have. As he gazed down upon the still sleeping Maiden, his transparent reflection looked back at him sadly. Despite the uncompromising truth that the Grimm were the enemy, forces like the White Fang and Amber's still unknown attackers clamored for power. It was time to bring their new allies into the fold. And perhaps, also time to announce the Guardians to Remnant as well.

"Things are moving quickly now. We can't afford a misstep in the coming dance." Ozpin murmured with a forlorn expression. As Amber continued to rest, Ozpin turned on his heel to walk back down the hallway. As he passed, the green etherial torches extinguished themselves and allowed the shadows to again swallow up the vault. When he reached the elevator, the doors closed and darkened the vault completely, leaving the Fall Maiden to her slumber. As he rode up in the silent car, Ozpin removed his scroll from his jacket. A few blips on the screen later, and he had Glynda on the other line.

 _"Yes, Headmaster?"_ Even despite how long he had known her, Glynda was ever the respectful teacher of Beacon. Ozpin let a wry smile cross his features for a moment.

"Contact the media heads in Vale, and tell them we have a big announcement to make." Ozpin felt the metaphorical door of secrecy close even as he gave the instructions. "It's time to tell the world about the Guardians."

 _"Professor Ozpin, are you sure that is wise? The people of Vale, and Remnant beyond that, they don't seem quite ready for another culture stepping into the mix."_ Glynda likely knew that she was voicing Ozpin's fears as well as her own, but unfortunately the whims of fate were fickle. After the debacle with the White Fang attack that introduced Grimm into the heart of Vale, fear and unrest only grew in the weeks before the Vytal Festival. They needed a symbol of hope, something to give the people of Vale courage to face the howling dark.

"At this point, hiding them will only do us more harm than good. Especially with Horst all over the social media. It's time we take this jump, and deal with the consequences. I'll see you in an hour." With that, he closed the channel and put his scroll away, allowing his hand to grab his cane once more. When the doors opened into the lobby of the CCT, Ozpin marched dutifully out toward the front desk. His demeanor and ever present mug of tea gave no impression of the turmoil he felt, revealing an alien culture to a people such as that on Remnant. To any casual observer, Headmaster Ozpin was out for a stroll and conducting business as usual. And that statement was true, though his business was more of a mystery than anything the people would ever know.

* * *

"That was so cool!" Ruby crowed as the last video closed down, Switch deactivating the screen and floating back down to join everyone else on the cargo bay floor. Ren and Nora both sat in the back, the ninja having woken up and watched the last few videos since Nora kept waking him. Team RWBY was a hapless pile of limbs and elbows, brought on by Yang tackling Blake into Ruby and Weiss during an intermission. It was tough to move when your Ghost was playing a memory out in your head.

"Did you have to use the Acolyte as a grenade runner?" Jaune asked with a grin. "I mean, losing his arm was enough to ruin the guy's day. Three sticky grenades and throwing him into a crowd of his friends was just a little much." Beside him, Pyrrha snickered into her hand and nodded her agreement.

"Well, he made the unfortunate mistake of shooting at Spirit. As an instructor, it is my job to punish mistakes and to make sure that lessons are learned." Horst said airily, and Jaune turned to face him.

"He was disintegrated by two different elements of Light!" The blonde said incredulously.

"Lesson learned, then."

Before another conversation could pick up about Horst and Spirit's previous exploits, the scroll in Horst's pack vibrated, a faint hum that could be heard from Spirit's cabin. Switch intercepted the message, his facets separating from his round body as he processed what was sent. When it was complete, his shell collapsed back around him, and the Ghost focused on his Guardian.

"Ozpin's pulling the trigger on that announcement. Looks like we're not a secret anymore." Switch said. "In two hours, he and Glynda are going to make a public statement about the Guardians, and submit a fair amount of our history over the CCT. From what his message says, it looks like they're going to leave out the mutual history for right now. Don't want to incite a riot and all that. Humans can be so dumb sometimes."

Horst frowned at his Ghost, but it was Spirit that he turned to.

"He's not telling them that we pretty much settled this place? I can understand rewriting history, but I don't see why they can't announce the truth." Spirit shrugged and stood up, gathering her feet beneath herself and stretching once she reached full height.

"Many people on Remnant are certain that they were born from Dust. When you dispute an absolute truth that's been accepted for centuries, a lot of people will take that poorly. Since our only evidence is the Traveler's Light and some old files from Rasputin, it's probably best to be ambiguous about that until we have a better case. You have the best impact in that argument if you only make it once." Spirit offered, pushing on her own chin to announce a series of pops from her stiff neck filling the cargo bay. Horst rolled onto one knee from his sitting position and stood up as well, followed by Ruby and Weiss. Blake and Yang climbed to their feet soon after, and as the rest of the new Guardians got up, everyone began walking toward the crew cabin. Horst and Spirit stepped into the personal cabin and began putting their armor together, Hope and Switch altering the armor and repairing it from the previous day's strife.

Ruby, Weiss, and Nora began picking up their sleeping supplies, while Jaune, Ren, and Blake began collecting weapons. Yang stood near the door, split between stepping in to help and staying out of the way lest she gum up the whole operation. With Mjolnir and Summer's help, the sleeping mats and blankets they had used disappeared to be cleaned later. The common area soon became a circus act, as weapons began flying all over the area. Ruby tossed Milo and Akouo to Pyrrha and the sheathed Crocea Mors to Jaune. At the same time, Gambol Shroud and Storm Flower flew towards their owners courtesy of Weiss and Nora. Yang slid under the flying blades to scoop up Ember Celica from next to the couch even as Magnhild in its hammer form fanned through the air to Nora. Once everyone had their respective weapons, a symphony of clicking and sliding metal filled the common room as they all made sure their respective arms were in top shape and ready for use. Once she was sure Crescent Rose was ready to be shown off or used, whichever necessary, Ruby collapsed the scythe and placed it at the small of her back.

"Well, if this whole Guardian thing doesn't work out, we could always start a circus!" Ruby said cheerfully, ducking on instinct as Nora spun with Magnhild on on her shoulder. Had Ruby not dodged out of the way, the heavy head of Nora's hammer would have knocked her out cold. Nora continued to spin, balancing her beloved hammer on her shoulders as she hummed some variation of a circus theme. Ren and Jaune had to duck next as she spun around, though a loud metallic thunk interrupted the valkyrie's impromptu dance around the room as her hammer collided with Horst's stout chestplate. Nora didn't expect the impact as Horst stepped out of Spirit's cabin, and the sudden hit knocked her off balance and sent her tumbling to the ground.

Horst raised an eyebrow at Nora's dance, and raised his helmet up to place it upon his head. With a snap and a hiss, the light on his forehead glowed a soft blue as his armor sealed itself. Behind him, Spirit stood in full gear as well with Thorn at the ready.

"Doll yourselves up, kids." She purred. "We've got a story to tell. Always good to look your best when making first impressions." Horst nodded in agreement, and together the two senior Guardians stepped forward to help their students get ready. Horst assisted Ren and Jaune in polishing their armor, while Spirit had the daunting task of sprucing up six young women to an acceptable broadcast condition. For the next fifteen minutes, the Guardians and their Ghost prepped RWBY and JNPR to be announced to the world – not as Huntsmen and Huntresses, but as Guardians. Color coded undersuits similar to what Horst and Spirit wore covered their bodies. Pyrrha's being gold and red, Jaune wearing yellow and white, Ruby black and red, so on and so forth. For those used to more exposed skin, like Yang and Pyrrha, it took some getting used to. Still, the undersuits worn by almost all Guardians breathed easily, and after a few moments of wearing felt like a second skin. For many of the students however, a form fitting mesh and spandex suit that flowed all the way up to the neck took some getting used to.

When they finally finished, Ruby stepped away from Spirit and looked down at her new outfit. Her black and red corset and combat skirt were still intact, along with her beloved red hood, but the stockings and sleeves she had always worn were replaced by a simple black undersuit. The suit started at her shoulders, and made her feel even lighter than her previous outfit did. The reaper jumped around lightly, snickering at how it almost felt as if she weighed nothing at all. For someone who relied heavily on speed and was made conscious of every pound she carried, it was a very liberating feeling.

For Weiss, the epitome of elegance and well born upbringing, such a form fitting outfit felt odd. According to Flake, it would be incredibly beneficial for temperature control and moving around in areas without oxygen. But for someone accustomed to the subtle workings of the upper class and whether or not a dress made a statement, such combat oriented material made Weiss uncomfortable at first. Still, it didn't stick or prod her anywhere, and she could actually breathe with the undersuit on. Her shin high boots covered the suit, and it disappeared beneath her skirt like any leggings would. The ice blue undersuit covered the area around her collar that usually exhibited pale white skin, but the transition didn't entirely bother her. The lack of her red lined jacket took some getting used to, though. Just the white dress and boots with an undersuit felt awkward, but Spirit assured her that some decent armor would not be difficult to locate.

Blake's purple and black undersuit exhibited the least amount of change, replacing her stockings and completely covering her arms instead of the assymetrical ribbon she had always worn. Her buttoned boots were replaced with a more sturdy paur that climbed up to mid calf and sealed with her undersuit. Her white shorts no longer covered her, but rather the color had been incorporated into the padding at her thighs and back. A pair of spare black shoulder guards, protruding out toward the outside instead of covering her entire shoulder, protected her upper arms. A single knee guard on her right leg provided protecting for ducking and rolling, her lead foot the one needing protection.

For someone so used to showing off skin, Yang was surprisingly comfortable with the undersuit. Of course, the only thing superior to cleavage was a form fitting spandex deal, so that would explain her ease with the change. Her tube top had been discarded, but her feather-like skirt and brown jacket remained. The undersuit on her torso was bright yellow, almost the same as her hair, with the black fire emblem placed underneath her throat, across the center of her collarbone. The seat of her pants down to her knees was solid black, and took on a burnt orange look when it reached her brown boots. The skirt she wore greatly resembled a Titan's Mark, and Ember Celica fit over the undersuit's padded gloves flawlessly.

Jaune's changes were probably the most drastic, but also the simplest. With the exception of canary yellow at his ribs and thighs, Jaune's undersuit was entirely white. His chestplate, shoulder guards, and vambraces were all still white and made from the Knight design, and the greaves that protected his thighs and shins met a white pair of boots. On his left hip, Crocea Mors fit snugly on a magnetic pad, the collapsing shield sheath tight against his leg as if it were welded there, yet able to unfold and leap to his hand should his shield be needed.. His black hoodie and torn blue jeans were no longer a part of his wardrobe, though he wasn't about to complain about the new look. With the exception of how tight it was in the nethers, that is.

Pyrrha's armored greaves transitioned well, though the material changed to a Ghost compatible metal, instead of her bronzed steel. The champion's long flowing red sash served as an excellent Mark, and her red skirt wrapped around her waist as usual. Her bronze corset covered her chest as well, bronze in color and very compatible with the crimson undersuit. Her left arm bore a bronze plate that wrapped around it almost completely, separating at the elbow with a fist sized elbow guard and shoulder pauldron. Her right arm was bereft of protection, save for the vambrace that covered her wrist. The non-symmetrical approach allowed for her left arm to provide all the protection, while the right focused on dealing damage.

Nora's suit had largely been applied upon her Ascension beneath Moutain Glenn. A white suit with pink highlights along the sides of her limbs covered her, though her skirt remained. The only difference between then and now was that the heart shaped hole below her collarbone was covered as well, though the chestpiece of her suit underneath it was pink. White plates of armor covered her shoulders, chest, and back, as well as the padded greaves on her knees and elbows. The plates on her chest ended just above her abdomen, preventing the rigid structure from limiting the swing of her hammer. The valkyrie also wore more shock resistant boots, with thick soles and rigid frames to better absorb the force from her jumping and blasting.

Ren's jacket was already thickened to provide ballistic and elemental protection, and his white pants were given the same treatment. Instead of his normal shoes, a light pair of black boots covered his feet and connected to the undersuit that remained beneath his jacket and loose pants. The only places where the black undersuit showed was at his sleeves and his throat. The black gloves with metal tips remained, and a simple purple colored bond was wrapped around his right bicep, over his jacket, a ring of metal over a layer of cloth that exuded a faint magenta light. As Ren looked down at his gloves, thin strands of electricity, purple in color, jumped between his flared fingers as the ninja stared at them curiously.

After the eight students had been properly outfitted as the budding Guardians they were, the time for the press conference had drawn much closer. Hope had been moving the _Infinite Sky_ toward Vale as the ten Guardians were wrestling with wardrobes, and the ship loomed high over Vale's streets as they put on the finishing touches.

Ruby looked around at her fellow Guardians and couldn't help the sunburst in her chest; despite the things they had been up against, and what they had been through, she was confident now more than ever that they could handle anything the world threw at them. The mystery woman at the CCT, Roman Torchwick, Oryx, and all the other nasty creatures that lurked in the dark didn't stand a chance against Ruby Rose and her team.

"We look awesome, guys!" The reaper crowed with excitement, twirling Crescent Rose around her in its collapsed form as she marveled at her new outfit. Yang, Pyrrha, and Nora echoed her enthusiasm, while Jaune, Weiss, Blake, and Ren agreed in a more subdued reaction of nods and smiles. Without losing momentum, Ruby rolled her scythe across her shoulders, catching it in the crook of her elbow before swinging it into position on her lower back.

"We do look pretty cool." Yang said as she flexed and stretched, testing how the undersuit moved with her. "Not that our old looks were bad, but I'm not complaining." Weiss crossed her arms and huffed, the only one off put by their new outfits.

"The last time I wore something like this, Winter and I were swimming in Mistral. This will take some getting used to." The heiress sniffed, rubbing her arms to remind herself of the uncommon material. Yang jabbed Weiss in the side softly with her elbow, making the heiress flinch and rub her side even though the padded suit absorbed the impact.

"But it DOES look pretty cool, right Weiss?" The blonde suggested with a wink, and Weiss just turned her head away and huffed. The suit did look professional, but it was far different from her usual tastes. Blake saved Weiss from further prodding by stepping between the two.

"Easy, Yang. Not all of us are comfortable with a form fitting body suit. Especially when we're about to go on live television." Blake reminded, and Yang grinned cheekily.

"Hey, if you've got it, flaunt it." The blonde said with a shrug. Her grin turned predatory, however, when she shifted her focus to Blake. "How do you think ol' Adam will react when yours truly is on the front page, not dead and hotter than ever?" The mention of her former partner curled Blake's teasing smile into a frown quickly, but she wasn't angry with Yang. Losing her blonde friend to Adam had destroyed everything she ever hoped to save in the red haired Faunus, and spiting him in front of the all of Vale felt like such proper vengeance. Until she could get a hold of him for a more personal vendetta, at least.

"I'm sure something in the room will get broken. He never was very good at controlling his temper." Blake said icily, and pushed Yang's shoulder with some force. "Make sure you show off for me. Don't want him thinking you're down for the count."

Horst and Spirit overheard their conversation, and the two elder Guardians stepped away to whisper between each other.

"He DID kill her, you know. And there were several survivors after I set off that grenade in Mountain Glenn. This little press conference will show them that Yang and I both are still alive." Spirit said lowly. "Is that advantage something we want to just throw away?"

"I don't think our strength lies in discretion anymore. Keeping secrets at this point will do more harm than good, if we're announcing ourselves to the public." Horst replied, his eyes on Ruby as she tackled Blake and Yang in the middle of their conversation, swinging around on their necks to reel Weiss in too. "Besides, the first time we make a decisive move against them, they'll likely see us coming and the cat will be out of the bag anyway. In this case, we're telling them they couldn't even kill you correctly. Humiliation is just as potent when used properly." Before he could speak further, Nora popped up between the two, surprising them both with how the energetic valkyrie could move so silently.

"Come on, you two! Ruby has a great idea! And take your helmets off!" Nora siad excitedly, tapping her knuckles on Horst's hemlet before zipping back over to the others. All of the students but Ruby were standing in a line against the bulkhead, where Jaune and Pyrrha had slept the previous night. Ruby and Summer were opposite of the lineup, Ruby framing the group with her fingers as if she were taking a picture. As Horst stared at them, he realized that was exactly what she was doing.

"I think Ruby wants a picture with us all together." Horst said with a sidelong glance to Spirit, removing his helmet and setting it down on the couch. He stepped over toward the middle of the group, his towering frame demanding that he be on one end of the picture. Spirit watched him walk for a few moments, then shook her head and removed her mask as well. The Hunter stepped across the group to the other side, standing next to Jaune at the end. From Ruby's standpoint, the entire crew stood from left to right: Spirit, Jaune, Pyrrha, Nora, Ren, Weiss, Blake, Yang, and Horst. Once she was sure Summer had a good shot, Ruby bounded past her Ghost into the middle, settling in between Ren and Weiss as she wriggled to make room. Once the reaper was set in her position, she beamed a wide, bright smile.

"Everyone say Beacon!" She said happily. Jaune and Pyrrha stood shoulder to shoulder, turned inward slightly with their hands interlocked on the inside. Ren and Nora had an arm each on the other's shoulder, Nora grinning brightly while Ren offered a more reserved smile. Weiss smiled elegantly, a perfect equation of teeth and grin, but the strain in her brow indicated her annoyance with Ruby's exuberance. Yang grinned and offered a cheesy thumbs up, and Blake leaned back from the extravagant display. The Faunus cut her eyes to Summer, a small but content smile on her face as she glanced toward the Ghost. Next to Yang, Horst grinned widely next to his students, proud that they were taking their first steps into legend. Pure, unbridled happiness creased his features, and even his white eye seemed a little brighter. On the other side of the group, Spirit stood with her arms crossed, a satisfied smirk on her face as she stared the Ghost down. They each bore their own personality, but the team faced Ruby's Ghost as one, and together gave a happy cry that meant as much as it said: a bastion of hope for the future, both for the Guardians, and for Remnant.

"BEACON!" CLICK!

* * *

The lobby of the CCT had been cordoned off an hour ago, allowing only those with press credentials past the main doors. As such, a bunch of suited and dressed reporters stood chattering amongst themselves, some accompanied by camera crews while others simply wielded their modified scrolls. Atlesian soldiers were interspersed throughout the crowd and stationed at each door, intent on preventing another security breach like last time. Of course, the mysterious assailant had proven just how effective Atlesian foot soldiers were, but it was as much reassurance as security. Glynda stood on the raised podium in the center of the room, tapping away furiously on her scroll as she wrestled with the network. The problem with such a public broadcast, even in the heart of the CCT, was making certain that necessary communications and systems were not slowed or blocked out by the sheer volume of media use. Having twelve different news networks broadcast across four kingdoms really soaked up the bandwidth.

Beside his stressing second in command, Ozpin looked out over the crowd of reporters and camera crews with a bittersweet smile on his face. Coming clean really was a liberating feeling, but his experience cautioned against optimism in this case. As Spirit had said earlier, a society that could not welcome the Faunus even with the Grimm all around could not be successfully predicted when you throw aliens such as the Guardians into the mix. Thank the stars that there wasn't an Exo here – that would really add fuel to the fire. Were it not for the service record Horst and the others had garnered in the short months they had been there, Ozpin was certain this would have been a public hanging, not an announcement.

"When do you think they will be here?" He heard one of the reporters ask her cohort, whispering among themselves but still loud enough for the Headmaster to hear. When he had contacted the various media agencies, his description of today's announcement had been vague, simply promising to identify those select individuals responsible for the defense of Vale. Since the people of Remnant loved legends and stories more than anything, the prospect of new heroes against the Grimm and the White Fang had the journalists coming in from multiple outlets. He didn't even have to dangle the fact that they weren't Huntsmen in front of the camera for the news to spread like wildfire. Students had been interviewed, questions asked about Horst and Spirit (though their suspicions were far from the truth), and inquiries made into the Atlesian and Vale academies in regards to previous instruction, Hunstmen license, tax records, etc. When nothing of the sort was found, the journalists became all the more fascinated with the Guardians. JNPR and RWBY were available via the school's enrollment records, but their missions had been elevated above first years, another oddity that had drawn attention. Medical records were kept secret of course, so their Ascension had not raised any flags. Still, the tenacious journalists had moved quickly in the two hours that had passed since his announcement. Or rather, two hours and ten minutes.

 _They're late, it seems._ Ozpin thought with a frown. It was not like Horst or his students to be late for their own press conference. Sure, RWBY and JNPR had nearly been tardy on their first day of class, but the students were usually very punctual barring their first day. That, and Spirit was flying them all around in a space ship that could cross a continent in minutes.

Ozpin's scroll buzzed softly in his pocket, snapping him out of his reverie. Hoping that it was the truant Guardians, he opened the device and saw a single message from Horst. A tap of his thumb opened the message, and just one word sat on his screen in white text. _Incoming._ Ozpin smirked and pocketed his scroll once more, stepping over to Glynda as she finished the technical nightmare of administrating the CCT network. His blonde companion sighed irritably and pushed her glasses up with one finger, stowing her scroll with the other and apparently resisting the urge to pull out her riding crop.

"The _Vale Minute_ and their monopoly on bandwidth. Of all the people, they should know better than anyone not to tie up more than their share." She muttered grumpily, before turning to focus on the Headmaster. He smirked at her annoyance and sipped his tea.

"They will be here shortly. Horst just notified me." He assured the combat instructor. Her gritted teeth did not ease, and she cut her eyes around in search of the Guardians. When none met her searching gaze, she huffed again.

"I don't see them. Honestly, they are capable of teleportation and possess ships that can cross the stars, but they can't fathom how to get to a meeting on time?!" Glynda snarled, not realizing she had echoed Ozpin's own thoughts from just moments ago. Before the blonde woman could launch into a tirade about tardy Titans and Hunters playing hooky, a faint shimmer and humming sound could be heard from behind them. Ozpin recognized the sound as the transmat system the Guardians used, and turned slowly to face ten cascades of Light that quickly resolved into Horst, Spirit, and teams RWBY and JNPR. The collective murmur of the reporters and camera crews dropped off gradually, the bright light hidden by the podium's elevation as well as the mostly silent hum of the transmat made the Guardians' appearance difficult to notice. As many of the reporters looked up, they stopped talking and nudged their cohorts when suddenly it was not two people standing on the platform, but twelve. Glynda paused in her tirade when she noticed the reporters were all staring behind her, and she turned quickly to see the Guardians standing shoulder to shoulder, all as comfortable as if they had been standing there for several minutes instead of phasing into existence just moments earlier. Her irritated expression caught Horst's attention, and his helm covered head nodded in her direction. She could only imagine the smug grin on his face.

Ozpin observed the new modifications made to each student's clothing, and the new undersuits that every pupil wore. He understood that it was the same garment Spirit and Horst wore underneath their armor, and was pivotal in temperature control and movement in areas without oxygen, and was aslo capable of affixing plates of armor or padded materials for better protection. It was a sad sight, however; just one more reminder that these bright pupils were no longer prospective Huntsmen, but Guardians in training. The loss was hollow, considering their building alliance, but Ozpin still felt it down in his gut.

With the VIP's present, Ozpin stepped forward and cleared his throat, the space of the lobby adequate enough for his voice to be heard without amplification. Multiple cameras and recording devices pointed his way as a hush fell over the dense crowd. While some of the students were unknown, such as Ren and Ruby, Pyrrha and Weiss were already known in the media world for their previous exploits. To see the heiress of the SDC and Mistral's most promising champion in the same armor as these strange warriors caused a few premature questions, though Ozpin ignored them dutifully.

"Ladies and gentelemen. Today, we bring before you a very talented group of warriors. These brave souls have proven their worth against enemies both human and Grimm, and we owe them our thanks." Ozpin said in a calm, clear voice, his words echoing around the lobby as a few flashes from camera went off. Behind the Headmaster, the Guardians stood shoulder to shoulder, grouped together in their teams with Spirit on the right side next to Jaune and Horst on the left side next to Ruby. While Pyrrha, Weiss, and Yang were nonplussed by the flash of cameras, Ruby and Jaune winced at the bright lights that exploded in front of them from the crowd of reporters.

"While many of these warriors are familiar – most of them students from our very own Beacon Academy – their order comes from a place far, far away. Farther than we have ever considered, in fact." Ozpin paused and let his statement sink in before he continued. "All these years, we have considered ourselves alone in our struggle against the Grimm, too focused in our terrestrial struggle to consider the stars. Now, after many years of fighting alone, we have found allies from beyond Vale. Beyond the four Kingdoms. The Guardians are here, and they have come to Remnant to help us, and perhaps seeking assistance in return." Ozpin finished and stood quietly, his expectant gaze washing over the crowd as he waited for them to understand the full gravity of what he had just said.

At first, there was only silence, as reporters and their handlers slowly came to grasp with what Ozpin had revealed. Then, it became a murmur, and soon turned into an uproar as the assembled media began hurling frenzied questions at the Headmaster, each demanding answers in hopes of getting the word out first. While many clamored for further information, a few stepped off to the side to report what he had already said.

 _Here we go._ The gauntlet was thrown. Now all of Remnant – their enemies, their allies, and everyone else undecided – knew that the Guardians were from another world. Any chance they had at discretion had been thrown away in the face of brutal honesty. Considering their _other_ charge, such blatant truth in the face of the unknown did not come easy.

"Headmaster Ozpin, are you saying they aren't from this world?"

"Headmaster, how long have aliens been living on Remnant?"

"How could you trust our Huntsmen and Huntresses to people from another planet?"

"Are the families aware that their children are being trained by aliens?"

Are they responsible for the crop circles?"

In a detached part of his mind, Ozpin found humor in how the reporters fed off of each other's questions, confident in the support of their rallied inquiries to ask that which would sound incredulous in a one on one conversation. The Headmaster let the frenzied questions go on without response for a few more months, but the silence that came when he held up a hand would have been intoxicating to lesser men. Even in the face of the ravenous press, Headmaster Ozpin still commanded respect with a gentle air. He was not just a teacher of legends; the man himself was legend as well.

"Instead of providing second hand information, I'd rather turn this over to the first Guardian I've ever met." Ozpin turned and nodded to Horst. The large Titan returned the nod, and stepped up to stand shoulder to shoulder with Professor Ozpin. "Titan Horst traveled here from far, far away in hope of forging a new alliance. He has been instrumental in defending the lives of Vale's citizens, and I can only hope that with his help, the Guardians' protection can to across all of Remnant." With that, Ozpin stepped away from the center of the podium, allowing Horst to take his place. As the two passed, Ozpin offered a small 'good luck' as he stepped amiably over to where Glynda was. Horst turned and faced the mob of reporters expectantly, and soon another rolling wave of whispers and muttering threatened to break into shouted questions before he said his piece. Removing his helmet and holding it underneath his arm, Horst decided that it would not do to go unheard.

"People of Remnant." It was a simple start. "What Headmaster Ozpin has said is true. I was not born on your world. This planet has enjoyed too much peace to be my birthplace. My home is very far away, on a little blue planet called Earth. And the reason I came here is simple: Earth is in danger, and we need more help. For hundreds of years, we have been fighting against forces of Darkness, many like the Grimm, to keep our people safe. Thousands of years ago, our ancestors came here for settlement, and somehow when the Darkness swept through your people did not die. Out of all of the colonies that failed, despite the overwhelming force used by the Darkness...Remnant survived. And now, the Guardians have returned to rebuild that which was lost, and forge an alliance between Remnant and Earth, and offer our protection and cooperation in the face of the Darkness." Horst stopped and breathed a deep sigh. "However, Darkness is coming here as well. The White Fang, the Grimm; these are formidable opponents in their own rights, but the terror that is making its way here will be unlike anything you've ever seen. The Taken King is coming, and we are here to stop him."

Horst paused to take a breath, as well as let the his words sink in. Unfortunately, those assembled took his pause as an invitation to ask questions. An uproar of different questions assaulted the Titan, their words congealing and crashing together like a verbal wave that washed over him. Behind him, the other Guardians winced in sympathy as the reporters assailed their eldest warrior, though Horst did not react beyond a slight narrowing of the eyes.

"How did you get here from Earth?"

"How long have you been fighting the Darkness?"

"Why is the Taken King coming here?"

There were hundreds of other questions, but those were the only ones Horst could make out. All the rest were verbal chaff, just a cacophony of unintelligible questions and inquires that blended together and drowned each other out. The first question, asked by a young brunette Faunus – jack rabbit, maybe? Rabbit ears and thin antlers made things confusing – wearing a green cargo vest, khaki shorts, and hiking boots typical for Vacuo's more arid and hardy terrain. Horst pointed the young woman out, and everyone else miraculously quieted down to allow her to speak. Civilized savages, these reporters.

"Sheila Irwin, _Vacuo Now_ , how far away is Earth from Remnant? How far did you travel just to find us?" (Australian accent. Obviously.) The reporter asked, her scroll disregarded in favor of a more rugged, yet simple handheld recorder.

"I arrived here in my ship, the _Iron Symphony_ , but the reason I reached Remnant so quickly is a complicated one. From my Ghost's reports, as well as estimated star positions, we are located in a solar system the Guardians call the Horse Head Nebula. Without a warp drive, travel between Earth and Remnant would take several thousand years. I was lucky to arrive here by manipulating the technology of the Vex; a species of machines that have been proven to mangle and tamper with time itself. They are one of our many enemies, and due to the advance of the Taken King, what limited control we had over the Vex's network is gone. Myself and Hunter Spirit are the only Guardians from Earth that can travel to and from Remnant for the moment." Horst explained. Another wave of muttering swept through the gathered reporters, and Irwin herself had to shake her head before she began scribbling notes into a notebook.

Another reporter, this one a tall blonde human male from Atlas, stepped forward with his scroll up. Unlike the woman from Vacuo, this young man wore a blue sport coat over a white buttoned up shirt. Blue slacks and brown dress shoes implied that he was not one for the wilds of Vacuo or the slums of Vale.

"Jake Mulligan, _Atlesian Times._ You say that your birthplace is not a peaceful one. What kind of people are the Guardians? How long have spent at war?" A subtle smirk crossed his features, but the journalist hid it well by raising his arm for a clearer recording. Horst looked down at his armor – shiny, thick, and entirely practical in nature – and gestured at his wardrobe choice.

"Men of peace do not wear armor on every occasion. I said that our people had colonies as far as other star systems. But we lost every one of them, Remnant included. The same horde of monsters that has clamored at our door since the first day of the Collapse is still vying for our destruction. They seek to wipe out all of humanity." Horst clenched both fists to reinforce that fact. "The only goal of the Guardians, the raw and single purpose of our order, is to prevent that from happening. That is why we are here. And it is why we fight." The journalist from Atlas' smirk faded, but those around him seemed far happier by the statement. Clearly, Mulligan was looking for some statement to turn the world hostile against the Guardians, or at least cause doubt in their cause. No chance there, pal. Better luck next time.

Another reporter, a gruff looking man from Mistral with an older camera and a beaten black jacket stepped up to ask his question, but before Horst could call on him, Switch appeared next to him and flew in front of Horst's face. The Ghost's sudden appearance incurred another volley of flashes and murmurs, but there was desperation in the Ghost's voice that drew Horst's attention.

"Horst!" Switch said urgently. "We've two large shockpoint signatures on the _Iron Symphony's_ long range scans. They're coming right for us and they are gearing up for another jump soon! The _Symphony_ is also detecting weapons fire!"

"What?" Ruby stepped forward from the line up, Jaune at her side as well. Behind them, the rest of the team moved over toward Spirit, who had Hope materialized on her shoulder. While the raven Ghost relayed the same message to the others; Ruby, Jaune, and Horst focused on Switch as his facets separated from his core, the blue field of his influence pulsing as he received more raw data from the scanners on Horst's ships. While the Guardians waited patiently for further information, the crowd of bystanders muttered and stared anxiously at the pulsing Ghost. Finally, Switch's body returned to normal, just as Ozpin and Glynda joined them.

"Another jump inbound in six seconds. Shockpoint usage implies Fallen, estimated displacement: two Ketches." Switch paused, and looked between the adults present. "The Fallen are coming to Remnant."

"Do you have an approximate jump destination? Are they fighting something else, or is it two Houses against each other?" Horst asked. Instead of getting more information, Switch just turned and stared at him incredulously.

"What do I look like, answer man? If the _Iron Symphony's_ instruments weren't tuned specifically for warp signatures that match ships that the Fallen and the Hive use, we wouldn't even know that they were on the way here. The sensors are just picking up fireworks in the night sky, they're not going to tell us if there's a typo on the bottle rocket's design cover." There's the snarky personality Horst was so used to. The Titan grit his teeth in annoyance and got closer to Switch so that the gathered press couldn't quite hear him.

"You're telling me I just said we're here to help and ten seconds later, an alien race we've been fighting for years comes blasting into the neighborhood? That's the most inconvenient coincidence I've ever heard of!" Horst snarled lowly. Ozpin tapped his cane on the ground with three sharp, pronounced thuds, and all eyes in the group turned to him. Despite the alarming news of yet another alien menace on the way, the Headmaster did not seemed fazed in the slightest.

"Announce the incoming threat, and go handle it. If they have seen you fight Grimm, handling a few Fallen should more than add credit to your words. Prove to them that you are the Guardians you claim to be." Ozpin said evenly. Jaune looked between the teachers and nodded eagerly.

"You just went up there and told them the Guardians protect humanity. Might as well prove it, right? And didn't you get your ship from a Fallen?" Jaune prodded. Horst grumbled and rolled his eyes.

"I won it from him in a game of cards. It's not like he just gave it to me. I'm pretty sure he's still mad about it too." The Titan whispered, and Ruby giggled at the outlandish concept of playing cards with an alien. Of course, she was learning from a pair of aliens now, and had her very own alien companion.

"Maybe these guys will try to beat us in poker." She said with a grin.

Horst looked between Jaune and Ruby, with their eager grins and excited expressions, and Ozpin with his confident smirk. In the face of such optimism, he couldn't help but feel the infectious gow in his chest as well. The Fallen were formidable opponents when ambushing their enemies, and often did not take prisoners. Not only did they know the pirates were coming, but ten Guardians could easily wipe out two Ketch's worth of Fallen. In reality, once the ball got rolling the only things that would prove too challenging for the students would be a Fallen walker or a Kell. Spirit and Horst were both capable of handling those, even though Kells were always the most formidable of the Fallen House. Maybe they could do it. But it would still be a fight, and RWBY and JNPR were all still new Guardians.

"Alright. Switch, see if you can track them. Let us know the moment they reach orbit. Ruby, Jaune, get your teams ready and get some helmets. This fight may go beyond Remnant. Glynda, notify Ironwood that we may be seeing a security risk." All four nodded and went about their assigned duties, Switch disappeared into thin air while Ruby and Jaune walked over to their huddle of teammates. Glynda stood where she was because texting isn't that hard and doesn't require you to relocate.

With Ozpin and Glynda at his back, Horst turned and faced the crowd one last time. The expectation in the room was palpable, and the next big story to Remnant had just gotten a second page's worth of material. Horst looked out at the several dozen journalists, and took a deep breath before speaking up once again.

"My Ghost has just informed me that there is a threat heading this way. The Fallen are coming, and they are vicious scavengers that will stop at nothing until everything of value has been taken. There are two ships incoming to Remnant's orbit, and we have to stop them."

For once, something he said was not met with a litany of murmurs and muttering. The crowd stood silently as they processed his words, looking between one another and the warrior that stood up on the podium. Silence reigned in the lobby of the CCT, until at last Shiela Irwin spoke up to break the quiet.

"What will you do?" Her voice seemed somewhat fearful, but perhaps she was more anxious than afraid in the face of an unknown alien menace. But she had put forth the easiest question Horst could answer, one any Titan could answer even on his worst day. Horst actually laughed as he lifted his helmet above his head and pulled it on, snapping it in place as it sealed his suit. His chuckle came from the speakers, magnified slightly upon integrating with his systems. Horst turned and looked back at his team. Spirit had the others all standing around her, Yang and Blake flanking her immediately while the rest gathered in partner by partner. Hope nodded her avian head and disappeared, and Horst could hear the approaching engines of the _Infinite Sky_. They were about to leave.

"We're Guardians." He said simply, rolling his large shoulders even as Chimera appeared on his back. "We'll go to work."

With that passing statement, RWBY and JNPR and their Guardian teachers vanished from sight, ten cascades of light the only sign of their departure. The gathered press gaped in shock at their transmat, and an uproar of questions assaulted Ozpin and Glynda as they stood alone on the podium. Glynda frowned in annoyance at the lack of decorum, but Ozpin could only smirk and sip his tea.

* * *

"'We'll go to work'? That's your big send off for us?" Spirit asked incredulously. While Horst had felt quite heroic with that line, his teammate was quickly deflating that idea. "Yeah sure, let me just grab my coveralls and my Fallen smacker and we'll go to work like a couple of old Joes. Hope you brought your lunch pail, this might take a while. And watch out for management! They don't like slackers in this business."

While Spirit continued to harass and poke fun at Horst, Ruby and Yang were enjoying the abuse hurled at him. The two sisters were laughing shamelessly behind him as the towering Guardian slumped his shoulders in the face of his small teammate's biting tongue.

"I thought it was pretty good." He defended weakly. "Fighting the Darkness is what we do, right? It fits..." Spirit's joking tirade reached new heights as she howled with laughter, further degrading the Titan as she held her gut in mirth.

"You made it sound like we're the janitors of the universe! Next time we go to the Cosmodrome, I am FORCING you to show a plunger of a Thrall's ass. And you will wear coveralls." She managed to choke out, before giving in to a fit of snickers and guffaws as Horst stormed out of the crew cabin and into the cargo bay, offering some lame excuse about checking his equipment. He brushed past Ren and Nora, both of whom were also smirking at their teacher's expense.

While Horst went to the cargo area to pout, Spirit motioned for the others to gather around the couch in the middle of the crew cabin. All except for Blake and Yang; those two decided to follow Horst into the cargo bay. Yang was likely going to further tease the Titan, while Blake was more likely to play mediator in hopes of preventing her partner from being slugged through a bulkhead. The other six students paid close attention as Hope flitted from the cockpit and landed in Spirit's shoulder. The raven Ghost cast a blue scan over the table, and soon a blue holographic display appeared over the table. In the flickering transparent light, Remnant and its destroyed moon hung in one corner of the display. The appearance of two ships – long, angular vessels that end in fine points and look like darts with engine turbines attached – on the other side of Remnant's destroyed moon was noted with a burst of blue light. According to the display, the ships were engaging each other in the debris field of Remnant's shattered moon. The ships became slightly larger on the display, and a single blinking light with the header ' _Symphony_ ' approached the two ships from the far side of the moon. With Horst and Switch on the _Infinite Sky,_ Horst's ship was moving in at Switch's remote direction. Since the Ghost's physical presence on the _Iron Symphony_ would endanger both himself and his Guardian, it was better to direct it from afar. If the ship lost signal, the onboard navigation systems were still good enough to get the _Symphony_ out of the area safely.

"According to the _Iron Symphony's_ telemetry and holographic scans, both Ketches have sustained heavy damage in the fighting. And they are _still_ fighting." Hope advised from her perch, her blue eyes casting the projection as the students watched in wonder. Over the couch, the miniature battle raged, tiny blue sparks volleying back and forth as gouts of fire and Arc energy danced around the two damaged ships. Ruby leaned in from her side of the couch, her mirrored eyes watching the two ships as they rolled and shifted, each trying to give their respective batteries an optimum cone of fire. Even with her inexperience in Fallen ships, it was clear to the reaper that the one closer to the moon was in far better shape than its opponent. It also looked better cosmetically, as there seemed to be a marked difference between the two prior to the battle.

The Ketch closer to the moon bore a single proud emblem, with three circles ascending from left to right, and two twisting lines forming a valley of sorts. Unlike its opponent, this Ketch appeared mostly whole, with few patches or bolted plates from previous battles. As such, this particular ship did not bear the battle scars, open hatches, and broken tow lines of its foe. The other ship also did not seem to care for its heading; the worse of the two Ketches plowed right through a chunk of the moon as they dueled, sacrificing hull integrity for the sake of a better shot. Its sacrifice was only marginally successful, a sizable cannon blast scarring the upper portion of the finer Ketch's bow.

"Wow, they're going at it." Weiss noted from next to Ruby. "Those ships must be large to push through the moon's debris field like that." Ruby nodded, her eyes watching as a few smaller ships flew from the finer Ketch, and descended down toward the planet. A few similar little craft disconnected from the rival Ketch a few seconds later, and together the six little ships dueled as they dropped down to Remnant. Even as the two mother ships had it out in orbit, both crews were interested in the planet. It was likely that wherever they went, the Fallen would pick up their fight were it was left off. Blake and Yang came in with a disgruntled Horst in tow, both of them watching in interest as the little holographic ships continued to hammer at each other with their cannons.

"They've sent Skiffs towards Remnant. It looks like we'll be fighting on two fronts." Spirit said with a sigh. Horst nodded with a shrug of his shoulders. Honestly, they should have been used to splitting up by now. It was the only thing they'd done since the beginning of their adventure. In fact...

"Hmm. I have an idea." Horst said, with a conspiratory grin on his face. Spirit recognized that look from a few past endeavors. And she didn't like it one bit. "We have to split up, yes. But as instructors, we should give our students opportunities to grow and expand their minds." The Titan rubbed his hands together evilly, and his smirk turned downright savage. Ruby looked between Horst and Spirit, unsure if she wanted to hear the Titan's idea or not.

"Uh, okay? What do you have in mind professor?" She asked, even as Blake and Yang exchanged looks as well. Horst walked over to Ruby and placed a large hand on her shoulder, his other hand finding the nape of Jaune's neck as he pushed the two together, shoulder to shoulder.

"Spirit and I will handle the Ketches. You and Jaune will lead your teams to the landing zone on Remnant." Horst proclaimed, and eight jaws dropped at his suggestion. "The people of Remnant will likely prefer familiar faces defending them, and Spirit and I are more versed in Fallen politics and tactics than you students are. At worst, the fighting on the ground will be just that: fighting. What goes on in orbit will likely be much more difficult to handle." Jaune and Ruby exchanged horrified looks, and for similar reasons. The prospect of being in charge of a fight with aliens was intimidating for Ruby, whereas Jaune was more concerned with leading his team without a veteran fighter to watch over them. The stakes were higher than what he normally dealt with, but the presence of RWBY lessened it somewhat.

"How will we get down there if you two are up here?" Blake asked, drumming her fingers on her crossed forearms. "We have two ships, but if you two are going to engage the mother ships, how will we get down to Remnant quickly?" Horst chuckled and summoned Switch, who appeared with a narrowed eye directed at Horst immediately.

"Switch here will remote pilot the _Iron Symphony_ to the landing site. Once the eight of you are on the ground, my ship will return to orbit and I'll transition to it before we engage. That way you guys get down to the planet in a timely fashion, and we get a real combat ship up here." Spirit huffed in annoyance at his dig toward's the _Infinite Sky's_ combat abilities, though he had a point. In many cases, the blockade runner was far more agile and combat oriented than her dropship style cruiser. Not that she would ever admit it to the Titan.

"So, what? We just go down there, rough up the Fallen, and call you when we're done? There's got to be more to this than a simple search and destroy mission." Yang said with her hands on her hips. Ren and Nora nodded in agreement as well, the ninja raising a finger for emphasis.

"You said you got your ship from a Fallen, right? If they can be reasoned with, perhaps this conflict between the two Houses can work in our favor." Ren offered. Horst nodded in agreement, and gestured between himself and Spirit.

"Whatever you do on the surface will likely have little impact in the grand scheme of things, but you are correct Ren. Siding with one House instead of obliterating them all may prove the wiser option, but be prepared to cut them all down regardless. There has only been one documented case of a Fallen House siding with humanity. The Reef is still scarred with the results of that decision. Still, it's not off the table." With that said, Horst clapped his hands together once and made a sweeping motion.

"Get ready, you lot. It's time to learn the trade. Be prepared to fight a multitude of enemies, but don't be afraid to observe and make a more peaceful decision. At this point, we need all the friends we can get."

* * *

Aboard one of the descending Skiffs, the lead ship from the more battered Ketch to be precise, a Fallen Baron and his two Captains conversed as the Baron piloted his craft down to the planet below. The House of Giants had put up quite a fight in their flight from another small, unnamed planet in this system. The discovery of a human world this far from the Sol system was unprecedented, however. The Baron's Kell, Vaas, had been clear in his orders: search for any sign of the Great Machine, gather any salvage worthwile, and then decimate the local population. If the House of Giants got in the way, eliminating them became top priority as well.

The House of Scars had chased their rivals across the stars for several months. Aboard the _Lesson Learned_ , the Scars had been back and forth from human controlled space to the ruins of their empire in search of treasure, technology, and the greatest prize of all: the Great Machine of legend. Before the Whirlwind, before the great struggle that chased the Great Machine from Eliksni hands, the Fallen had enjoyed a time of peace just as the humans had. But the Traveler, that giant Earth-Servitor that hovered over their retched City, knew the secrets of the Great Machine. It had to, as full of Light as it was.

The House of Giants, however, had never entered the human solar system. They had traveled the stars more slowly, adhering to old traditions and forsaking the pirate lifestyle that many Fallen had embraced. To the Baron, as well as his Kell Vaas, this was a sign of weakness. The inability to seize power, no matter how dark or twisted, only served to lead the Giants one step closer to oblivion. If they would not take every advantage, the Scars would be more than happy to succeed where the Giants failed.

 _"What are our orders, Baron?_ " One of his Captains asked as they cleared the clouds, gliding over endless green forests as they chased the Giants Skiffs in the distance. Whatever the House of Giants had discovered, it was worth taking. But they had to FIND it first.

 _"Follow the weak Giants, but do not engage until they locate their prize. Once it is found, wipe them out. The same goes for any humans in the area."_ The Baron ordered, his lower right arm gripping the pommel of his saber in eager anticipation. It had been many moons since his blade had last tasted human flesh. Several Guardians had tried their hand at ending him and his crew. The severed heads in his personal quarters aboard the _Lesson Learned_ were testament to their failure. Just as the Giants were weak, so too were the Guardians in forsaking forbidden power.

And Baron Chaviks was going to show them the true folly of that decision.


	21. Chapter 21

**Chapter 21**

* * *

" _Iron Symphony_ on approach. Get ready, kids!" Spirit's voice echoed from the cockpit as Remnant streaked by below them. Ruby and Weiss stood at a porthole in the cargo bay, watching their home planet go by as they peered through thick windows about as wide as Ruby's hand. Beside them, Jaune and Pyrrha watched through another window in equal wonder. No matter how much time they spent on the _Infinite Sky_ , the concept of leaving Remnant far below them still blew Ruby's mind. As she stared down at the cloudy atmosphere, it dawned on her that no matter how out imaginative she had been staring up at the night sky, not once in a million years did she believe she'd actually be crossing the stars. As she watched, a small speck from Remnant's horizon gre very quickly, a growing shadow against the sun's light until it resolved into the somewhat spiky silhouette of the _Iron Symphony_.

Horst's ship was beautiful. As it floated alongside the _Infinite Sky_ , Ruby marveled at the blockade runner and its sleek form. Despite the blocky engines and sharp contours of the rocket pods, the craft just screamed speed. From what Horst had described of his ship's abilities, the _Iron Symphony_ was capable by design to dump a lot of ordnance on one point and blast through it, ideal for getting through blockades and conducting hit and run tactics. In this case, however, it would also prove it's worth by chasing down Fallen Skiffs.

"We've tracked the Skiffs to Forever Fall, and the leading House has already taken casualties." Horst called over the comm. "When you get there, the nastier bunch will likely have superior numbers."

Ruby and Weiss exchanged looks of trepidation as they stared across several meters of vacuum at the _Iron Symphony_. Exactly how were they supposed to get over to it? Space walk, or was there some kind of boarding process? Yang seemed to have wondered the same thing, as she turned and glanced toward the cockpit.

"I'm guessing the transmat system works ship to ship as well as ship to ground." It was a statement, not a question. An affirming grunt came from Horst as he settled into the weapons seat in the cockpit.

 _"That's correct. Have your Ghosts lock onto the Iron Symphony, and the onboard computers should handle the rest. As long as you have a good signal, my ship's transmat beacon should be more than strong enough to pull you in. Just make sure you go two at a time; she's not as open to guests as the_ Infinite Sky. _"_ To hear him refer to his ship with the same parental attachment that Ruby afforded Crescent Rose was endearing.

"Alright guys, pair up and get ready to be abducted!" Nora said enthusiastically, drawing out the last word and immediately grabbing Ren in a headlock. The ninja floundered in her iron grip, struggling for breath while sputtering protests. Jaune and Pyrrha looped an arm each around the other's back, and Yang threw an arm around Blake's shoulders with a bright grin, much to the Faunus' chagrin. Ruby looked at Weiss expectantly, though the heiress refused to look her in the eye.

"Weiss..." The Schnee still turned her nose up, ignoring her partner completely. And she did it for good reason; Ruby was employing the formidable puppy dog eyes.

"No. We're standing close enough as it is." Even as Weiss said that, Ren and Nora disappeared in an upward flowing cascade of white particles. Ruby shuffled a little closer, only for Weiss to take a small step further away.

"Please Weiss? We're BFF's." Ruby cajoled, inching a little bit closer while Weiss crossed her arms and turned away. Jaune and Pyrrha transmatted next, leaving team RWBY alone in the cargo hold as the slowest and most pitiful chase in history occurred, Ruby shuffling along playfully while Weiss stepped just out of her reach.

"No, Ruby. Ugh, you're so-" Weiss' complaint was cut short by her red haired team leader jumping onto her back, causing the heiress to pitch forward at the sudden weight.

"LOVE ME!" Ruby yelled, a victorious battlecry as her partner pitched this way and that, yawing dangerously close to a fall while trying to remain upright. Ruby locked her heels across Weiss' front and held on for dear life, like a five foot tall tick that refused to let go. Yang's laughter echoed through the cargo hold as the blonde held her stomach, bowled over from her little sister's antics. Even Blake was chuckling, a guilty smile on her face as she did nothing to assist Weiss in her dilemma.

"Ruby you dolt, get off of me!" Weiss growled hotly, her face red from embarassment as her 'mature' teammate rode her piggyback all over the cargo hold. In response to her protests, however, the reaper just locked in tighter, looping her arms around Weiss' neck and cinching her grip. Now, Weiss wasn't just contending with lack of balance; lack of oxygen began creeping into her peripheral vision as well.

Yang and Blake's laughter stopped abruptly as they too transferred over to the _Iron Symphony_ , leaving Ruby and Weiss alone as they wrestled around the cargo hold. While Weiss continued trying to rid herself of her cumbersome passenger, Horst's voice came over the comm again.

 _"Switch will be transferring the most up to date language codex on the Fallen. It won't be enough for real time translation, but your Ghosts should be able to process their speech rather quickly. As for speaking to them, well...bullets before words, ladies and gentlemen. They may be advanced, but eight percent of the Fallen encountered by Guardians have been hostile."_

Another mic keyed up, and Jaune came over the radio. " _Uh, Professor? Are you and Switch the only ones that can pilot this thing, or can anyone do it?"_ As the faint sound of rushing air filled Ruby's ears, the response was mostly in her own head. She and Weiss de-materialized from the _Infinite Sky's_ cargo hold just before the burdened heiress toppled to the ground.

 _"No one flies but the Ghosts. I'm not digging my ship out of a mountain range because you kids don't know the difference between fore and aft._ " There were many times when Horst was gentle and supportive in his teaching. Flying lessons were clearly not on the itinerary. As Ruby and Weiss tumbled back into existence, the grated metal deck of the _Iron Symphony_ broke managed to break their fall. Thankfully, the new undersuits were padded enough that it was merely an uncomfortable landing, not a painful one.

"Aw man. I wanted to fly." Ruby heard Jaune mutter to her right, even as Weiss shoved her off and onto the ground with a thud. Ruby rubbed her hip – it had broken her fall – and winced, even as Weiss stood up quickly and walked away from the pile of squad leader on the floor. Ruby stood up and looked around, and was impressed with how combat oriented the ship was. Aside from a cot and what looked like a small bookshelf holding several small mementos, the entirety of the _Iron Symphony_ was either dedicated to streamlined ammunition distribution or weapon repair.

Unfortunately for the eight students, there were only six passenger seats with restraints, the kind that could handle several G's of force. There were eight seats in all, but the two remaining were the pilot and co-pilot seats. Jaune and Ruby walked over to the two leading seats, and together they exchange a look.

"I mean, Summer can fly even if we're at the controls right? No sense in us getting thrown all over the cabin." Ruby said in a conspiratory manner. Jaune's eyes narrowed and he leaned in a little closer.

"Yeah, and it's not like we can't learn while she flies, right? Kinda like having someone else guide you through the motions. No harm in that." With their excuse justified, the two team leaders took their seats, Ruby in the co-pilot's seat on the right while Jaune took the pilot's seat on the left. The other members of their teams took up spaces in restraints on the port and starboard walls, each team taking their seats behind their leader. With JNPR on the left and RWBY on the right, the fledgling Guardians were just about ready to go.

 _"Alright, kids. Summer will direct my ship to follow the Skiffs. Land quickly, but don't be afraid to assess the situation first. There may be multiple landing zones."_ Horst's voice echoed both in their heads and over a speaker above the pilot seats. Ruby nodded as she looked down at the controls, gripping the control rod in front of her with both hands. Her exploring fingers felt three thumb switches, descending and twisting down the right side of the rod. Underneath her conjoined fingers, the reaper also felt a trigger on the far side of the controller. When she squeezed it experimentally, a red holographic message appeared on the screen in front of her: **WEAPON LOCK IN PLACE**.

 _"Don't go blowing us out of the sky, Ruby. Though I'm glad you managed to find the weapon station."_ Horst sounded amused, and Ruby beamed at his praise. She could figure anything out if she played with it long enough, especially weapons! _"Alright, get moving you lot. We'll handle things out here until you send the_ Iron Symphony _back. That means move quickly!"_ With that last chiding reminder, the _Infinite Sky_ banked from alongside the _Iron Symphony_ , flaring its starboard thrusters in farewell, and then boosted off toward the horizon. From the angle of its flight, Ruby estimated that Spirit was flying toward the destroyed moon.

"Alright, Summer. Get us down to Remnant and after those Fallen!" Ruby said eagerly, and her Ghost appeared on her shoulder like a hovering parent. "And see if you can show us how to fly. We'll need to know this kind of thing for later."

"Try not to kill us, Rubes! I may be nearly immortal, but dying still sucks!" Yang called from her place in between Weiss and Blake. The heiress huffed and crossed her arms over the rigid shoulder restraints that kept everyone in place.

"As if she'd be dumb enough to take control of a craft she's never flown before." Weiss muttered, though she herself did not seem so sure of that truth. Blake simply closed her eyes and tried to meditate, more to take her mind off of the debilitating drop they were about to experience than to achieve any kind of inner peace. Across the way, Ren had already done the same while Nora swung her legs in a carefree way, like she had on a roller coaster a few years prior. Pyrrha's eyes were locked onto the back of the pilot's seat, where she visualized more than actually saw Jaune looking over the controls nervously. She had done as much as she could to boost his confidence, but now it was time for him to step up.

The blonde in question gulped nervously as he grasped his controller as well, his hand instinctively grasping the throttle to his left: a handle that ran along a pair of tracks that extended almost to the full length of his arm. It seemed that his chair was meant for navigation more so than Ruby's, though a throttle on her side indicated that the roles could swap at any time. Clearly, the Guardian shipwrights knew what they were doing when they had assembled this masterpiece.

"Alright guys, let's get down there!" Jaune said, a rare glow of confidence in his voice as he rolled his fingers across the throttle in anticipation. "Professor Ozpin didn't talk us up just to let everyone down now." Ruby nodded to his right, and Jaune grinned in return. Yeah, they could do this.

With more enthusiasm than many would have expected of him, Jaune pushed the throttle forward in a quick but controlled move, the handle not moving a inch beyond what he wished. In response, a deep hum reverberated behind them in the aft of the ship as the engines roared in response. Outside of their view, the thrusters on the rear of the ship flared brightly and sent the _Iron Symphony_ careening through space, causing the stars to spin as they catapulted toward the abyss of space. Summer exercised her control over the control rod and Jaune felt it pull back sharply, causing the ship to climb upward from their point of view, flipping around entirely until Remnant took up the entire view screen. The throttle rolled back slightly until the planet was in view, then pushed forward to send them rocketing towards their home planet. Jaune did his best to mirror Summer's movements, lagging behind slightly as he got a feel for the ship's controls.

"Jaune, there are pedals at your feet to control the pitch of the ship. You might want to use them." Summer said gently from Ruby's shoulder. Even as the crimson Ghost said so, Jaune felt something scrape his boot as the left pedal lowered slightly, correcting their entry and flattening the craft against the curvature of the planet. Once the movement was complete, Jaune settled his feet onto the pedals. Ruby did so as well, though she was still a bit miffed that Summer wouldn't unlock the weapons systems for a test run.

"The _Iron Symphony_ has a much smaller and more aerodynamic profile than the _Infinite Sky_ , but we will still have to enter the atmosphere at an angle." Summer instructed from her perch. On the view screen, a path of green rectangles appeared in front of them, the shapes coming towards them as if they were checkpoints. Jaune tapped the right pedal, and corrected the ship so that they were at the right angle to follow the path.

"Very good. Now follow the entry trajectory, and once we dip beneath the stratosphere, we can break away from this path. Until then, hold us on course." Ruby felt the tension in the controls, and did her best to mimic Jaune and Summer's actions as well. From behind them, Pyrrha held her hand out to summon Victory.

"Is Jaune flying the ship?" She asked somewhat discreetly, though the hum of the engines and the growing roar of the atmosphere heating the _Iron Symphony's_ hull nearly drowned out her voice. The prancing horse shook its neck in a negative, as if it were ridding itself of a particularly bothersome fly.

"Yes and no. Summer is in direct control of the ship, but she has relinquished some basic navigational decisions to the controls in Jaune's hands. We are safe from crashing, but he does have some say in how we fly." The Ghost replied, stamping his flaming hooves on nothing even as sparks leapt from his feet. Pyrrha allowed a small smile as she watched her boyfriend fight with the controls, the _Iron Symphony_ beginning to fight with his influence as Remnant's atmosphere burned and pushed against him. The edges of the viewscreen began to glow cherry red, and a distinct wobble began to shake the ship as the forces acting against it increased. The dull roar of Remnant's atmosphere slamming against the ship became much louder, and Yang had to shout to be heard.

"Is all this noise good or bad?" The blonde hollered, while her partner held a hand over her sensitive ears to drown out both the blonde and the cacophony of re-entry. In order to prevent a shouting match of 'What?' and 'Huh?', Spark appeared next to her, his sniper rifle absent as he lounged on her restraints. When he spoke, his words blotted out the dull roar from the inside of her head, affecting her hearing in a way Yang neither expected nor minded.

"It's a good thing. If we were going in too steep, it would be a lot louder and a lot hotter in here. Like an oven bouncing down a hill. If he brings us in too shallow, we'll never land in time, and the Fallen will get away." Her Ghost advised, and Flake appeared next to him in a cascade of snow-like particles.

"Spark is correct. Once we get past the first few layers of the atmosphere, the friction on the hull will lessen as the _Iron Symphony_ slows down. However, we need to be as swift as possible to catch the Fallen. Those pirates are up to no good, I'm sure of it." Flake added his two cents, and Spark scratched his chin in thought.

"The chambermaid has a point. It's too much of a coincidence for the Fallen to show up so soon after we did. And you saw what they did; even in the middle of a space battle, both Houses sent dropships down to the planet as soon as they had the time. The Fallen don't waste resources on hunches and routine missions. If they spend troops and technology looking for something, it's probably there." Flake narrowed his eye at Spark in distaste, but ultimately ignored the 'chambermaid' comment.

"Quite. Whatever could have drawn them to Remnant wasn't us, since they have shown no interest in the ten greatest sources of Light on the planet. Whatever they _are_ searching for, it is likely to be valuable. And best kept out of their hands." Yang looked between the two Ghosts, cocking an eyebrow as they theorized in front of her while the hull burned around them. She tried focusing on the conversation, but something tickled the back of her mind. All around her, she could feel the heat as Remnant's atmosphere pushing againsted the hardened plating of the _Iron Symphony_. She could feel the heat, not in an uncomfortable way, but rather like she did when she activated her Semblance.

Whenever the blonde activated her abilities and reflected the damage her enemies dealt to her back upon them, the very common side effect of flames always accompanied her. She felt them like a shadow or a piece of clothing; always following her movements, a consequence to her rage and serving her will as she burned down everything that opposed her. But she always had to 'go off' before she could feel the fire around her. Now, she was keenly aware of the heat that engulfed the ship even as they broke through the stratosphere. The flames existed just out of her reach, like an arm that had fallen asleep and refused to obey her commands.

 _What is this?_ She wondered idly, even as Jaune pushed the throttle forward and pulled back on the control rod. The whole team felt their stomachs try to fill their toes as the _Iron Symphony_ decelerated sharply, pulling up and escaping the dive that had brought them into Remnant's breathable zone. Once gravity and friction ceased their holds on the ship, the flames disappeared. But Yang couldn't simply forget the feeling that she had noticed. The fire had been... _hungry_. She'd definitely discuss this with Blake and Horst when they were done chasing Fallen.

Summer leveled the craft out, refining Jaune's clumsy attempts as she placed a nav point on the screen in front of him. With a destination in mind, and Remnant below them, Jaune took the team through the air as he pushed forward on the throttle again, easing the controls to roughly seventy five percent and breaking the sound barrier as the _Iron Symphony_ took off through the air. Below them forests, rivers, and mountains streaked underneath in a multicolored blur, a landscape traversed to quickly to recognize even as they took it all in from a vantage point only the most ambitious airship could dream of.

"We've got three minutes until we reach the projected path the Skiffs were following. Our instruments are good, but telemetry and holographics get confused when you get lower to the ground. Radar signatures may provide use, but the Fallen have proven elusive to that in the past." Summer advised. "When you reach the next marker, slow down and we'll perform a more active scan." Jaune and Ruby nodded in affirmation, their movements in synch as they pantomimed Summer's instructions. With the _Iron Symphony_ streaking through the air, Summer relinquished more and more control to the two squad leaders as they felt out the ship's responses. She was fully ready to reassume control should any problems arise, but the two were doing fairly well, especially for their first flight. Ruby and Jaune were learning at equal pace, though she could almost say that the blonde leader was outmatching Ruby in the piloting department. Of course, the ship had received more commands from Jaune than Ruby anyway, so right now he simply had more experience than Ruby did. They would both be proficient pilots in short time, though it would take more than one flight to reinforce their instincts for flying.

The nav marker ticked down the distance until it reached the single digits, measured in kilometers. Jaune felt Summer throttle back gradually, and quickly carried out the rest of the action until he stopped it at approximately thirty five percent. The streaking landscape below them quickly resolved into a much more recognizable vista, and one that they had seen on their first day at Beacon: Emerald Forest, as seen from on high. The non piloting members of JNPR and RWBY craned their necks to see outside, and were each just as shocked to see two Fallen ships hovering over the last place they expected the pirates to be interested in: Beacon Academy. All eight students stared in shock, even Blake after she had recovered from the auditory torture of the engines.

"Why are they circling the school? What could be there that the Fallen could want?" Ren's question echoed what everyone was thinking. And if the Skiffs had been content to merely look at the academy, they would have had time to debate. However, smoke rising from th forest floor beneath the plateau and Arc bolts flying between the two remaining dropships demanded action instead of words.

"It looks like a few of them crashed into the forest." Blake pointed out, the pall of smoke not yet high in the air. Whatever had crashed there, be it one Skiff or many, it had not been on the ground long.

"Looks like Professor Horst was right. We'll need to split up here." Ruby said solemnly. She looked over at Jaune, who appeared to be ready for suggestions. "Jaune, if you guys can handle the ones on the ground, we'll follow the dropships. We'll either find out what they want or shoot them down, whichever comes first."

Jaune nodded and pushed upward on his restraints, Bastion unlocking them the second his hands met metal.

"You got it, Ruby. I don't know what they want with the school, but we need to find out and protect whatever it is. These guys aren't going to turn Remnant into another ruin." Jaune waved his hand over his hip and Crocea Mors appeared, the sheath shield taking its rightful place on his hip while his sword found a way to his hand. "Let's go, team. We've got some aliens to hunt down."

Pyrrha, Nora, and Ren removed their own restraints and summoned their weapons as well, all three pumped and ready for action. This would be their first mission without a professor guiding them. Team RWBY had gone on several solo (and barely sanctioned) missions in the first semester, but JNPR was still new to the unsupervised kick. Still, they were willing and able to get the job done.

"Ruby, get us as close to the crash site as you can, then get clear. The sooner you guys land, the sooner Professor Horst can have his ship back." Jaune called, and together team JNPR stood back to back in the center of the cabin. Yang offered Ren a cheesy thumbs up since he was facing their way, and the ninja just grinned wryly before all four were transmatted out of the cabin, their Ghosts providing better transmat coordinates without the added hassle of moving from one ship to another. As soon as they were gone, Ruby aimed the _Iron Symphony_ toward the fighting Skiffs and pushed on the throttle, sending the ship and its occupants hurtling toward the plateau as they hunted down the remaining Fallen ships. Down on the ground, JNPR phased into existence in the calm forest, surrounded by the same ancient trees that had greeted them during initiation so many months ago. Jaune and Pyrrha stepped outward immediately, shields raised to block any incoming threats while Ren and Nora scanned the area, ready to counter attack should any foes stand to meet them.

Only a quiet forest met their gaze.

"Alright guys, let's head towards the crash site. Watch out for Grimm; they're probably going to be drawn to greedy little pirates." Jaune said quietly, and together the four moved out in a loose formation. Jaune and Pyrrha took the lead, their shields raised should any unsuspected attackers appear from the brush, while Nora and Ren lagged behind at a decent distance. If something came along that did require their attention, Nora would need space to swing her hammer, and Ren preferred to stay a medium distance away from his foes.

It was in this formation that the team found the first sign of Fallen activity: a massive crater in the ground, littered with debris and Fallen corpses. When in working condition, a Fallen Skiff appeared as such: a bulbous head sat at the fore of the ship, bristling with red lenses and rods that likely picked up radio signals. Twin gun turrets descended from beneath this head, and a linear body flowed backward from there. Six hatches from within the Skiff could open, discharging the crew inside to raid and pillage as necessary. Multiple circular pods sat at each corner of the craft, capable of dropping bouncing shock mines Horst had cursed about on several occassions when Fallen weaponry came up.

That was how a Skiff was SUPPOSED to look like. Right now, team JNPR was staring at a pile of rent metal and cloaked bodies. In some cases, the bodies were not even whole. Already, several Beowulfs and a Creep had discovered the crash site, and the wolves had decided to fight over the corpse of a Fallen Vandal. The two Grimm tugged viciously on the cloaked body, succeeding in tearing an arm free and giving both wolves their own prize to feast on. The lone Creep was digging its armored nose deeper into the wreckage, where a blood splatter indicated the presence of another Fallen body.

JNPR moved down into the crater quietly, their padded boots providing excellent support as the pulverized dirt slid like sand. The growls and the snarls of the feasting Beowulfs masked what little noise they did make, and Jaune and Pyrrha snuck up behind the two wolves while Ren drew close to their reptilian counterpart. As the Beowulf feasting on the corpse pulled its head back to swallow the latest morsel pulled from the body, Jaune drove the tip of Crocea Mors clean through the Grimm's throat. The wolf yelped in surprise, and could only gargle in a daze as Jaune pulled his blade free. A powerful, two-handed swipe removed its head a moment later. As Jaune handled the first wolf, Pyrrha drove Akouo into the base of the second wolf's neck, paralyzing it and easily allowing her to run Milo into the same spot.

The surprise assault on the Beowulfs attracted the attention of the Creep, picking its armored nose out of the wreckage at the sound of its comrades' demise. When it turned to investigate, however, the blades of Ren's Storm Flower found their homes in the Creep's eyes. The Creep howled in pain, but was quickly silenced when Ren pulled both of his weapons downward with a savage jerk. The Creep plowed into the ground for the last time, its body smouldering even as the other Grimm had already begun to dissolve. They had been dispatched quietly, but there was no telling when more Grimm would come looking for food. JNPR had to move quickly.

Jaune knelt over the torn body of the Vandal, grimacing at the remains that the Beowulf had desecrated. The wounds bled slowly, which meant that the Vandal had already been killed before the Grimm had found him. Or did it? Jaune knew next to nothing about Fallen biology. Their blood could coagulate quickly, and that would simply mean that the Grimm or the crash had taken him out. _Focus, Jaune_. He berated himself. _Don't worry about what you don't know; focus on what you do know._ With that in mind, the blonde rolled the body over and examined the head, and winced when he saw a blackened hole in the right temple. His earlier assumption had been correct; the Vandal had survived the crash, and was already dead by the time the Grimm had found him. Another Fallen had been the one to put him down.

"Jaune, what do you have?" Ren asked quietly. The blonde looked over the corpse one last time – mechanical lower arms destroyed, ribs exposed through chest wound – before he stood up, holding out his hand for Bastion to appear. When she did, he gestured toward the body.

"Bastion, see if you can figure out which House this one is from. At the least, we need to know who the victims are." Jaune said somberly. Bastion nodded and flew over to the corpse, her blue light sweeping over the body as the rest of JNPR kept a careful watch for any interruptions. It was foolish to turn their backs on the forest, and a crash such as this was bound to attract more attention. Once she was done scanning the body, Bastion floated over to the wreckage and allowed her blue cone of light to sweep over the majority of the debris. A few moments and the processing tittering of Bastion passed before the Ghost finished her examination, and flew back up to eye level with Jaune.

"This Vandal is of middling rank with the House of Scars. His arms were docked recently, the fact that he is a Vandal again means that their rank structure is either very ambitious, or this particular Fallen was very tenacious." Bastion paused. "However, further scans indicate that while this Vandal belonged to the House of Scars, this particular Skiff bears the markings of the House of Giants." Jaune and Pyrrha blinked and exchanged looks, before Jaune stepped toward the outer ring of the crater to widen their guard. With Jaune on the perimeter, Pyrrha furthered the investigation.

"What can you tell us of these two Houses?" She asked gently, her eyes scanning the area for any incoming Grimm. To the west, near the edge of the plateau, another column of smoke began rising into the air. Another crash site, she presumed. But right now, they had to glean whatever they could from this wreck. Only then would they proceed onward.

"The House of Scars has some middling record from the House of Judgment database." Bastion reported. "A minor House, numbering far less than the Devils and Wolves. Without suffcient forces, the House of Scars has been documented several times conducting hit and run attacks on minor settlements of Awoken, never lingering for very long. Skolas himself put an order out for their removal, but their Kell proved too cunning for Skolas' lieutenants." Bastion examined further information downloaded from the information packets Cayde had provided them shortly before placing the freed Ghosts into that infernal box.

"The only information on the House of Giants is an ancient list, a roster of Houses considered 'regal' before the Whirlwind. The Giants are ranked eighth on the list, though the significance of such a list is pure speculation. Clearly they are superior in combat, at least in this instance." Pyrrha looked down at the Vandal on the ground. The Scars had managed to down a Giant ship, and were still defeated after the crash. Considering the evidence on hand, the champion could not help but agree with Bastion's hypothesis. The Ghost scanned the area once more, and then she focused on trampled ground near the western portion of the crater. Bastion examined the turned up soil, and her gaze slowly panned upward as she gazed further into the forest.

"It is clear that the Fallen underneath the wreckage did not kill this Scar, so the Fallen that survived the crash is presumably still alive from this data. There is a trail here leading deeper into the forest, toward the second crash site." Bastion extended her scan and half formed footprints, too narrow and too few toes to be human, lead into the wood away from the crater. Ren followed the prints intently, noting the slight parting in the brush and a few torn scraps of fabric. As he recalled from the missions Spirit and Horst had shown them, many Fallen wore long cloaks that matched the material hanging from the bushes.

"We're not going to find anything else here." The ninja said evenly, and inclined his head toward the path. "Whether we follow the survivor or go to the other crash, it's the same direction. We should get moving." The threat of approaching Grimm went unmentioned, but Jaune was wary nonetheless.

"Ren's right. Let's get moving." The blonde said, and motioned with his sword toward the path their crash survivor had taken. Pyrrha and Nora took point, leaving Ren and Jaune to pick up the rear as they moved single file through the trees. In these woods, there was underbrush and bushes all underneath the trees, clamoring for the delicious sunlight that their taller brothers enjoyed relentlessly. With so many bristles and thorns littering the forest floor, scraps of cloth and dabs of blue, murky blood were easy to follow. As such, Pyrrha moved at clipped pace, Nora close behind as the two female members of JNPR lead the way. Ren and Jaune had no trouble keeping up, but it was not the slow creep Jaune had been expecting for a track.

The hunt was on.

While JNPR handled things at the first crash site, Ruby pushed the _Iron Symphony_ through the skies as they continued their pursuit. The two Skiffs must have noticed their tail, and had taken their mid flight brawl around the far side of the plateau. Ruby was keen enough to circle around the side cautiously, the _Iron Symhpony's_ holographic display showing the two dancing dropships in red outline on the other side of the cliff. On her screen, one of the Skiffs skirted away before it came dangerously close to one of Beacon's smaller towers. As such, the other Skiff continued to fire at it in total disregard for the fact that their missed shots were hitting the school's central courtyard, one such blast actually hitting the large monument in front of the landing pad.

Ruby decided she really didn't like the second Skiff. And when you're flying an intergalactic spacecraft designed to blow up or outrun anything that gets in its way, personal grievance was handled in a very not-so-subtle way. Ruby waved to Summer as the Ghost took control of the flight systems, and another clue to Summer's actions flashed across the display in blocky green letters: weapons lock disengaged. A circled crosshair appeared on the screen as Summer banked the _Iron Symphony_ around the cliffside, keeping the bow pointed toward the dueling Skiffs as they came around the bend. Ruby moved the control stick around, the crosshair responding appropriately, and smirked in triumph when the target landed on the Skiff that was still firing away at its opponent. Just before the red outlined ships became visible, the Giants Skiff stopped and hovered below the plateau, pointed directly at the cliff wall as if it were looking for something. This moment's pause unfortunately left it vulnerable for the other Skiff, and two direct hits from the shock cannons sent the last Giants Skiff plummeting to the ground, whole but injured and dropping quickly. That being said, the Scars Skiff was not prepared when Summer brought the _Iron Symphony_ around the cliffside, and the twin autocannons on either side of the cockpit tore through the Skiff's armor like a hot knife through butter. Ruby squeezed the trigger with a savage grin, eager to see exactly what this ship could do.

 _BamBamBamBamBamBam!_

The alternating fire of high caliber cannons rocked the ship, firing from one cannon at a time to preserve stability. Either in orbit or atmosphere, it was vital to prevent any last second changes in momentum. That being said, the cannons were still strong enough to absolutely shred the Skiff, the top half of its bulbous form and its shock cannons disintegrating in the wake of Ruby's fire. Ruby put two more salvos into the dying craft even as its propulsion failed, scattering its tail and causing the wreckage to slam into the cliffside. A great explosion shook the _Iron Symphony_ , and Yang and Weiss cheered from behind Ruby as she released the trigger.

"Yeah, way to go Rubes!" Her sister crowed from the rear, fighting her growing concern as the feeling from before returned, albeit much more stronger this time. Watching the flames lick the sky from the destroyed Scars ship made her feel...hungry. While Yang wrestled with these new sensations, Weiss tossed a fist in the air as well.

"Good shooting, Ruby! Show those Fallen who's boss." The heiress said with a smug look of satisfaction. While the other two continued cheering on their team leader, Blake simply groaned in pain as her senstive ears reeled from that assault. The concussive force of the cannons alone, explosions and impacts with the cliff notwithstanding, was more than enough for a dull ache to permeate her head. The sensory overload threatened one hell of a migraine for the poor Faunus.

"Alright, let's hit the dirt so Professor Horst can have his ship back. Are you guys ready?" Ruby said as she pushed her restraints up, drawing Cresent Rose from behind her back as she stood from the co-pilot's seat. Yang was out of her harness first, almost dancing to the center of the cabin as Summer hovered above the forest, the other two craft having already crashed to the ground. Weiss and Blake followed soon after, though Blake's slouch and eyes clenched together made for a less than reassuring team line up.

"Alright Summer, beam us down to the planet!" Ruby said obliviously, racking the bolt on Crescent Rose in its rifle form. Yang snickered at that even as Weiss and Blake groaned, albeit for different reasons.

"Alright, who's wearing a red-" Yang's comment was cut off as the transmat erased them from existence, collecting their blueprints before rearranging the atoms that made up their bodies and weapons several hundred feet below the _Iron Symphony._ In less than two seconds, the team had been transported from the cabin of the ship to the lush grass covered floor of the Emerald Forest. It had happened in so little time, Yang didn't even notice the change as they landed on their feet. "-shirt?"

When the four landed, they each faced a different direction, weapons at the ready in case of any Grimm that might have been have been drawn to the two most recent crashes. In the wake of the autocannons and the explosions, the soft whisper of wind through the trees was eerily quiet. However, no Grimm presented itself, and they were losing time. Ruby looked up at the black silhouette in the sky that was the _Iron Symphony_ , just in time to see its thrusters flare and the ship tore through the sky, becoming a rapidly shrinking dot as it rushed back into orbit to join its master. Speaking of which...

"Professor Horst." Ruby uttered out loud, Summer already patching them into the comms of the _Infinite Sky_. "We've made it to the forest. There are no Fallen ships in the air, and we're checking out the crash sites. Jaune and the others are already clearing one now."A crackling noise and some feedback was her response, along with the distance echo of cannon fire. Not the repeated thuds of an autocannon like the ones they had used, but rather a single resounding boom that echoed into the comm.

 _"Well done, Ruby. Clean up the Fallen, and keep an eye out for whatever they had been searching for. If those ships didn't simply fight, one or both crews are here to find something. Argh!"_ Horst snarled over the mic even as RWBY moved into the forest, following the sound of crackling fire and a rising column of smoke. _"Whatever you do, remember that your first duty is to protect the people and protect each other. Everything else comes second."_ With that, the line closed, and they could no longer hear the space battle above them through his channel. Ruby nodded and took the lead, guiding her team toward the downed Skiffs quickly and quietly.

As crashes and explosions are wont to do, a ragged clearing of flattened trees, ugly craters, and debris met their gaze roughly a minute later. The first Skiff to go down rested on a copse of smaller saplings, its fall broken by their young trunks. The ship that Ruby had shot down was conveniently everywhere, with rods, plates, cones, and the occassional charred body part littering the area.

Since it was the more likely of the two to have any survivors, Ruby motioned for the group to focus on the intact Skiff first, though they did keep an eye out for Grimm and any survivors that might have jumped free from the other ship. Weiss and Ruby approached the Skiff from the front, wary of the shock cannons that were permanently locked forward due to the impact. The barrels were pointed upwards, but they weren't sure whether or not the cannons could still pivot in their current condition. Yang and Blake circled around, focused on the deployment hatches that they had seen Fallen descend from in Horst's videos. Unfortunately, while the hatches were indeed open upon Yang's cautious inspection, the crew rods that the Fallen would hold onto had bent across their respective hatches. The obstacles barred entry and exit, and offered no alternative for the team to find a way inside.

"Do you think they're still alive?" Weiss whispered, Myrtenaster at the ready in case the aliens decided to show themselves aggressively. A ruse such as that was not above the Fallen, according to Spirit. Ruby remained on guard as well, and the two each chose a side next to the bulbous cockpit. Several of the protruding rods and sensors were dug deep into the ground, others broken and hanging feeble by the crash. The glowing lights that had been on the bow of the ship earlier had disappeared, giving every appearance of a dead and empty Skiff. Unless the crew had escaped in just a few seconds however, there was no way RWBY had missed them.

"Hey guys, I found a way in!" Yang called from above, and Ruby looked up to see her sister standing on top of the wreckage, a small hatch door torn from its place by the brawler. The blonde tossed the hatch away carelessly and peered down into the dropship, Spark appearing at her shoulder to provide a bright beam of light. Weiss and Blake hopped up as well, while Ruby remained by the cockpit. The metal hull groaned and clanked in protest to the girls' landing, but Ruby could have sworn she heard something else. Even after the Guardians stopped moving, she could faintly hear scrabbling and thumping inside...

A loud snap was all the warning Ruby needed as she pulled away from the cockpit, just in time to avoid the large bulbous plate that burst from the bow of Skiff, revealing the viewport of the cockpit to be an escape hatch as well. Had the reaper been leaning forward for a second longer, she would have likely lost her head from the force of the blast. As the escape hatch blasted away from the cockpit, two cloaked shadows dove – or maybe crashed enthusiastically – out into the crater's coarse dirt. One of them landed much more solidly than the other, and once Ruby had recovered from the shock of nearly losing her head, the remaining crew members of the Giants Skiff rolled out into the sunlight.

The Vandals were just like they had seen in Horst's memories – four arms, tattered cloak, angular head covered by a helmet – however, subtle differences suggested that this House was different from the others. The greatest difference was the fact that unlike many in the Fallen heirarchy, these two Vandals still retained all four of their original limbs. Unfortunately, multiple other wounds indicated that these two Fallen weren't going anywhere.

As the two aliens struggled to retain their footing, Blake jumped down from the Skiff and cut them off from the forest. The two Vandals looked up at her landing, their eyes following Gambol Shroud as she held the blade to her side. Yang ran up behind them a second later, effectively surrounding the two wounded Fallen. The healthier of the two covered its fallen brother with its two right arms, the left grasping the hilt of a saber at its hip. The weaker Vandal took several rattling breaths as it struggled to stand. Even from Ruby's vantage point, the blood dripping down the Fallen's side did not bode well for its health.

"Don't do anything yet!" Ruby cautioned. "The Skiff they came out of wasn't attacking the school. And they still haven't attacked us. Maybe we can talk to them." Blake and Weiss exchanged a wary look, but the two stepped back cautiously as the Vandals watched them. The weaker Fallen muttered something to its partner in their guttural, indecipherable language. Whatever he had said, the stronger Vandal relaxed its grip on its saber, but did not remove the hand that gripped the blade entirely. It seemed both parties were willing to parlay, a fact that again went against almost everything Horst had said about the Fallen.

"Flake, see if you can translate their language." Weiss whispered, even as the white Ghost appeared above her head. When he did show his form, both Vandals jerked their heads in his direction. As Flake listened closely to them, the two Fallen's excited muttering increased tenfold as they looked at him. The weaker of the two Vandals stood to its feet shakily, causing Blake and Yang to tense up in response. The Vandal ignored them, however, its eyes focused upon Weiss' Ghost as it took a single step forward. Weiss gripped Myrtenaster a little tighter, until Flake began translating their strange leanguage.

"They are excited about...me?" Flake's tone was one of confusion. "They keep talking about the Light. The Light of the Great Machine. The dialect is not one our database recognises. I must focus on the base words and... yes, they are thrilled at the sight of a 'Light-Servitor'." Ruby and Yang walked closer to the pair of aliens, ignored almost completely by the Vandals as they crept closer to Weiss and her Ghost. The heiress winced apprehensively, taking a step back and raising her rapier defensively. The movement caused the two Fallen to cease their approach.

"Do you think they mean the Traveler?" Blake asked quietly, her ears twitching as she picked up more noises coming from the dropship. Even as the two Fallen continued to chitter away, Blake inclined her head toward the downed Skiff. "Yang... there's something else in there."

The blonde nodded and turned her back on the Vandals, bringing her gauntlets up in a cautionary guard as she inched toward the ship. More falling metal in the ship attracted Weiss and Ruby's attention as well, and together all four placed themselves between the Skiff and its injured owners. The Vandals stopped chittering and looked around, the stronger of the two supporting its weaker partner as they scanned the area. Even the Fallen knew that something wasn't right.

"Yang, check it out. I'm right behind you." Ruby uttered, the scope of Crescent Rose popping up and giving her the perfect view into the darkened Skiff. Her sister edged forward, slow methodical steps allowing her to move quickly out of the way should anything appear from the wreckage. As Yang crept closer to the sparking, damaged craft, the surrounding forest seemed to quiet, as if the trees themselves waited with bated breath to discover the contents of the dropship. Weiss stood nearby the two Vandals, Flake disappearing as the possibility of combat deemed him unnecessary. Yang came within a meter of the ship before her guard loosened, the blonde leaning forward to peer deeply into the ship.

The tension in the air was palpable as the team waited for something to happen. Blake advanced a little closer as well, ready to support Yang just in case more than one enemy made itself known. So focused were they upon the Skiff and its possible intruders, the hum of a blade passing through the air went entirely unnoticed to them. Weiss didn't even notice the movement next to her until a splash of warm fluid danced across her cheek. The heiress blinked in surprise, not quite sure what the strange fluid was as she brought a hand to her cheek. Just as she wiped the sticky substance from her cheek, examining the purple ichor in confusion, the body behind her finally hit the ground.

All four Guardians turned immediately, just in time for the healthy (formerly) Vandal's cloak to settle onto the ground. The body twitched and spasmed as its nerve endings fired, the head removed completely as it rolled across the ground. The weakened Vandal was nowhere to be found, but a larger set of footprints leading away from the clearing indicated that there had been a third party with them.

Once Weiss realized that it was blood now smeared on her face, a horrified shriek escaped the heiress as she wiped at her cheek with much more fervor, doing everything possible to separate her own face from the grimy substance. Ruby stepped between Weiss and the body on instinct, not that the corpse would stand up and attack. Blake and Yang approached as well, their eyes searching the surrounding forest for any sign of the intruder or the missing Vandal. Nothing but trees swaying gently in the breeze met their eyes.

"Ugh, that's disgusting. I can't believe I missed that!" Weiss protested hotly, rubbing at the place where the blood had been even though she had removed it completely from her cheek. Ruby normally would be laughing at her reserved partner's frenzied actions, but the current predicament worried her on several levels.

"I didn't even hear it approach." Blake murmured, her golden eyes wide with disbelief as she knelt down to look at the body. The blade had passed cleanly through cloak, flesh, bone, and muscle, leaving a cross section of Fallen anatomy to spurt blood all over the ground as the corpse continued to spasm. The tremors and spurts of blood came in shorter, less frequent bursts, but the rapidly cooling body mystified the gathered Guardians.

Something had distracted them, taken the weaker Fallen, killed its partner, and vanished without any of them noticing.

"I think we're in trouble." Ruby whispered, and the others couldn't help but nod. Still, the tracks and small flecks of blood, either from the killer's blade or the weakened Vandal, lead further into the forest toward the second crash site. With no other alternative, team RWBY set out into the woods, wary of the silent assassin that stalked their land.

* * *

It had been awhile since Horst had viewed a battle from the _Infinite Sky's_ gunner seat. Seated in front of Spirit as she piloted the flying brick that was her beloved ship in a low orbit dance between the two Ketches, Horst was having a hard time finding enough targets for the considerable armaments at his disposal. In the courtyard a few days ago, Professor Oobleck had been restricted to the nose mounted cannon to prevent collateral damage. Out here in the vacuum of space, surrounded by enough lunar debris to catch any carelessly fired shots, Horst was thoroughly enjoying himself.

"Contact coming in high, two o'clock!" Spirit reminded urgently, pulling hard on the controls to bank in time as another Skiff offered its protest to their actions with its Arc cannons. As the _Infinite Sky_ rolled its bulk in avoidance, Horst cycled control to the missile pods. On either side of the cockpit, two banks of pods were exposed as their covers retracted, and the guidance systems shone red on Horst's control screen. A few screen taps later, and the Skiff that had attempted to cut them down suddenly had a few explosive friends wanting to play. Three short range missiles burst from their homes with little more than a hiss, and a rapid series of beeps chimed from the control panel. While the explosives hunted their prey, two more Skiffs crossed in front of the _Infinite Sky_ , and felt the wrath of her nose mounted cannon. Just as the other two exploded in debris and a cloud of dancing Arc energy, the rapid beeping ended with a triumphant chime, indicating that the first Skiff had been downed as well.

"Are both teams playing against us, or is it just the shabby ones?" Horst asked as another Skiff dove from the Scars Ketch toward them. So far, the House of Giants had neglected the Guardians and their dropship, focusing the entirety of their efforts on protecting their Ketch from the Scars and any debris that drifted too close to their mothership. Two Skiffs at least had paid the price for their Ketch, but Horst's efforts in removing the Scars had done wonders in preserving the rest of the Giants' forces.

"I don't know if they want to kill us, but that other Ketch has been playing defensively so far." Spirit wasn't quite convinced yet, however. "It could just be like the Kings on Earth; more worried about House matters than dealing with a few nosy Guardians." Horst snorted from the seat in front of her, causing the Hunter to raise her eyebrow even as they barrel rolled out of the way of a salvo of shock cannons, a much larger battery fired from one Ketch to another as the two large ships dueled their way through the debris field. Spirit kept the _Infinite Sky_ low and between the two ships, providing Horst with the best possible position to fire on either ship if he needed to.

"They haven't even fired upon us accidentally, sweetheart. Any time a Skiff has come within salvo range of us, they have ignored it. When the enemy is purposefully _not_ shooting at you, something is up." Spirit 'humm'ed at his comment, but was too focused ducking underneath a particularly large chunk of moon to respond.

The _Infinite Sky_ went low, going so close to Remnant's horizon that Spirit could feel the planet's gravity faintly pulling at the controls. As the Ketches cleared the debris field, the rate of fire between the two great ships escalated quickly. The House of Scars unloaded its full arsenal, a mighty salvo that brought every active gun to bear. In comparison, the House of Giants answered with roughly half of its cannons, choosing instead to roll to port and create the smallest target possible. The tactic was successful, but only just: as Horst and Spirit watched, seven of the thirty blasts from the _Lesson Learned_ impacted along the hull of the Giants' flagship and tore sizable chunks out of its armor. In two places, one along the bow and the other near the cargo hatch, the armor withstood the blows. In the other five, most greviously near the bridge, the armor buckled under the strain and fire gouted from the wounds.

"Well, that fight ended quickly." Spirit muttered dryly. The Giants' rounds did further damage to the _Lesson Learned_ , but theirs was the ship that listed away in retreat. Just as the Ketches separated, allowing the _Lesson Learned_ to focus its fire on Spirit and Horst, a small blip appeared on the scanners. Horst looked down toward the planet's surface, and was pleased to see the _Iron Symphony_ climbing into orbit like a white lance as the atmosphere struggled to keep the ship under control.

"Might want to bring that blockade breaker around quickly, Horst." Spirit said in warning. "That Ketch may be roughed up, but its going to take the two of us to handle it." Horst nodded and stood from the gunner seat, patting Spirit on the knee as he exited the cockpit. As he walked through the crew cabin, the Titan secured his helmet, making doubly certain that the seals were on tight. As capable as Switch was in resurrection, explosive decompression was an end he'd like to avoid if possible. Once his armor was taken care of, Horst exited the crew cabin and entered the cargo bay.

 _"Make sure to take the airlock, Horst. I don't want all of my toys orbiting Remnant for the next six months."_ Spirit cracked from the cockpit, her voice echoing over speakers at the corners of the room. Instead of responding, Horst simply chuckled and turned toward the work bench. To the right of the bench, in the center of the bulkhead was a hatch that was only slightly taller than Horst, and wide enough for him to walk in with one arm held outward. Once inside, the hatch slide closed behind him. In front of him, a thick glass portal was the only thing separating Horst from the frigid vacuum of space. To his left, a small panel the size of his hand slid downward, revealing a handle that pulled downward.

 _Once the airlock opens, I won't have much time to get in position_. Horst reminded himself. The Titan took a deep breath to steady himself, mentally counting to five. Once the countdown was finished, Horst reahed out and grasped the handle solidly, then pulled down. The mechanism went smoothly, locking in place and allowing him to remove his hand once the hatch began to open. As the air in the small room rushed out of the airlock, the rushing wind took Horst's ears as he held onto a bar near the hatch he had walked in through. As the windowed airlock fully opened, Horst released his grip and kicked off of the hatch, flinging his body out into space just as Spirit rolled away from the first salvo fired at the _Infinite Sky_. The resulting force of both her maneuver and his push sent Horst catapulting through space, far away from Spirit's ship and the cannon fire that followed it. All sound left Horst as the atmosphere around him thinned and then disappeared entirely.

Flashes of light passed his vision as the Titan hurtled through low orbit, watching the _Infinite Sky_ peel away and approach the flank of the _Lesson Learned_. While he hurtled through space, Horst could see his ship approaching fast.

"Switch, make sure you transmat me BEFORE the _Iron Symphony_ paints me across the stratosphere!" Horst felt the need to remind his Ghost. The ship angled toward him, and Horst now felt the rare thrill of fear as he stared down the bow of his own ship, even at a distance. Odd to be on the receiving end of that intimidating ship.

 _"I won't mess up now, as funny as it would be to see parts of you crash to Remnant like a charcoal mannequin."_ Switch retorted, and Horst could already feel the his atoms rearranging. A flash of light passed his vision again, and the next thing Horst knew he was sitting in the pilot seat of the _Iron Symphony_ , his hand already on the control stick as beeping became the first thing that greeted his ears. Horst looked up at the viewscreen just in time to yank the control stick hard right, pulling up and pushing the throttle forward in a drastic u-turn. Had he not, the _Iron Symhpony_ would have been painted across the biggest piece of the moon.

Now confident in his control over his own fate once more, Horst shifted in his seat...and then moved again. _Hmm._ The Titan readjusted a third time, but something just didn't sit right with him. With nothing terribly close to obliterating his ship, Horst took the time to look down at the pilot seat. What he saw nearly infuriated him to the point of combustion.

"WHO THE FUCK ADJUSTED MY SEAT?!"

* * *

Baron Chaviks stalked ahead of the younglings, more than confident that his little display would slow their pace. When he had escaped the second crash, the Baron had not expected to find that the defenders of this tiny little world would be little more than children. Still, beheading one Vandal would likely provide more of a tactical advantage than slaughtering one of the children would have. Fear would make their steps cautious, reluctant. Had he taken one of them, the other would have followed with a vengeance. The Baron's scare tactic had provided the time he needed to wipe out the rest of the Giants.

The weakened survivor of the Skiff crash struggled against the Baron's mechanical grasp. Unlike the House of Scars, very few of the House of Giants bore the docked limbs of punishment. To some, it would indicate a well run crew, with no need for discipline. But the Baron saw it as weakness; a Kell that refused to punish his crew was a weak leader indeed. It was a miracle that the House of Giants had survived for as long as it hand with such feeble leadership at the helm.

Chaviks took to the trees, taking the high road to avoid being seen from afar by his pursuers. His bloodied captive rasped in protest, but the Baron paid him no heed. The second crash site was close. None of the other Scars were responding to his hails, and it was safe to assume that he was the last of his crew. No matter.

The Giants may have gotten luck with the interference of this planet's defenders, but they would not escape the Baron. His prey were few in number already, and once the Giants were out of the way, the House of Scars would lay claim to this world, far from the influences of the Devils and Winters. The Sol system had proven too tedious and cumbersome for the Scars to subvert, and the rival Houses there had provided more of a challenge than their Kell had first assumed. Here on Remnant, there was no such danger of another House vying for supremacy. According to the Archon, this planet's technology was not as advanced as the weapons the House of Scars carried. They would be easy prey.

Upon reaching the second crash site, Chaviks stopped his traversal of the wooded canopy. Down below, the Scars' Skiff had collided with one hell of a boulder, pulverizing the rock with the detonation of its core. A long trail had been dug into the ground, showing that the Skiff had slid to a halt instead of just impacting into the dirt. Unfortunately, Chaviks could see three members of the House of Giants picking over the wreckage, their gold and silver cloaks flapping in a gentle breeze as they searched for survivors and usable technology. The sight of trespassers picking over that which belonged to him enraged the Baron, and he knew right then what his next move would be.

With a roar of defiance, the Baron dropped down to the ground, his larger size offering a much larger thump than could be accomplished by a Vandal or Dreg. The three surviving Giants turned to face him, though only one pulled a saber. The other two were unarmed, it seemed. Excellent. After he stood to his full height, Baron Chaviks lifted his prisoner above his head, both right hands gripping the head while the left hands grasped the legs. With an exertion of monstrous strength and a feral cry, Chaviks tore his prey in two, covering himself and the ground around him in blue-black blood. The Giants balked at such a vicious display, and the Baron grinned savagely beneath his mask.

There was more work to be done yet.

* * *

It's heating up. I foresee a boss fight in RWBY and JNPR's future. As for the space battle, you guys remember games like _Star Fox_ and _Rogue Squadron,_ right? I'm drawing inspiration from that.


	22. Chapter 22

**Chapter 22**

* * *

To say that the Emerald Forest was a peaceful place would be a complicated lie. In many cases, trips into the wooded groves that surrounded Vale went without incident, and there were rare citizens in Vale that had gone their whole lives without a Grimm encounter. By that same token, however, there were also Huntsmen and Huntresses that bore the scars of multiple encounters with the creatures. Such casual danger meant that the most serene, peaceful vistas Vale had to offer carried a suspicion of danger that persisted until one was within the safety of the kingdom's walls once more. The forest may have been within the Kingdom of Vale, but it belonged to the Grimm.

That is, the Grimm assumed that was the case. As the ambitious and greedy Baron Chaviks stalked the crash site, many of the local population came hunting for easy prey, following the negative emotions that oozed from the Fallen Baron. When the Beowulfs, Creeps, and Ursai encountered this representative of the House of Scars, they discovered that this strange creature from far away made no easy prey. Standing easily as tall as a towering Ursa, the Baron's savage fighting style, brute strength and razor sharp sabers proved more than a match for the creatures of Grimm. They had proven better than the House of Giants as well, the three survivors of the second crash dead in a pile near their ship at the center of the crater. The Giants had provided more of a challenge than the local wildlife, but Chaviks craved a competent opponent.

In every clash with the House of Giants, Chaviks had bested their warriors. Their many Vandals, the few Dregs that had not been promoted, and waves upon waves of mechanical Shanks – small, hovering weapons platforms that acted as war drones – had met their end by Chaviks' hand. Of all the skirmishes Chaviks had endured with the House of Giants, only a wiley Captain had escaped his blades, though even he had received a nasty slash across the face in exchange for his life. The Baron had hunted that particular Captain for many months, though the discovery of the Giants' flagship outweighed any personal grievance in the eyes of Vass, the House of Scars' Kell.

Baron Chaviks loathed owing allegiance to the Kell, or any Kell for that matter. He had borne no obstacle in his ascension through the ranks, the cutthroat crew of the _Lesson Learned_ creating an environment where only the strong and most ruthless Eliksni advanced. And the Baron had risen quickly. He had joined the crew of a previous Baron, Flint, to prove that he was above the rank and file Dregs. After several succesful raids on Cabal held worlds and House of Giants salvage runs, Chaviks had completed his rise to power by decapitating his predecessor, and dropping the former Baron's head at the feet of Vaas himself. Even as Vaas had praised his tenacity and ruthless behavior, Chaviks could see a hint of something in Vaas' eyes; the Kell recognized more than Chaviks' skill. He saw in the Baron a potential threat to his own power, a likely successor as Kell of the House of Scars. And there was only one way to lose the right to be Kell: death.

It was these ambitions and more that Chaviks mused over as he crouched in the shadow of a tree, the vibrant colors of the Emerald Forest a menace to his eyes. The children he had seen earlier still had not shown up to contend for the wreckage. The hostage he had taken was already dead as well, scattered over the edge of the clearing like a torn sack of parts.

 _Weakness demands such a fitting reward_. Chaviks thought to himself cruelly, sneering beneath his mask at the fate that had befallen the House of Giants soldier. A fate he had granted the weakened Vandal. That was as it should be; the strong handing down swift judgment against the weak. It was the way the Eliksni had survived for thousands of years: the strong surviving, and culling the weak to prevent a crippled bloodline.

A rustle in in the distance pulled at the Baron's attention, and the Fallen pirate shifted in his perch slightly, raising himself up slowly to get a better view. Experience reminded him that standing quickly advertised his position, and the surrounding foliage was not dense enough to hide such movement. As he slowly climbed to almost his full height, the Baron snarled quietly as his eyes rested on the multi-colored team of younglings he had seen earlier. The apparent leader, red and black as she hauled a deceptively large scythe across one shoulder, stepped out of the forest first. The youth looked around, slowly scanning the area for any signs of resistance. Even despite their unripe appearance, the team Chaviks had seen earlier stood with strength, acting not out of fear but caution. The difference was in their subtle movements; slow and deliberate, not the shaking hesitance of a coward. Even as the reaper stood at the edge of the clearing, the white and yellow females joined her as well. Together, the three spread out in a loose formation, their weapons at the ready in case they discovered hostiles. Considering their reaction to the House of Giants, it was likely that their count of enemies was only one: Chaviks himself.

The urge to pounce and engage the younglings was strong, but the Baron grew uneasy. He forced down his instinct and examined them further, even as the reaper stood atop the obliterated Skiff in the center of the crater. The team that he had seen earlier had numbered four strong, and the missing member oozed of stealth and quiet movement. The local forest teemed with beasts, some of which Chaviks had slain personally. The possibility that she had fallen to the local wildlife was valid, but weak. Had they lost a comrade, it was unlikely the young ones would be seeking him out. It was likely the black and purple youngling was still skulking in the wood, waiting for Chaviks to appear and then position herself accordingly. On top of that, the team had entered the clearing from the opposite side that he had come from, indicating that they had recognized the crater as a possible ambush site and came from an unexpected direction.

They showed promise. Pity that it would all go to waste in a few short minutes.

Chaviks crouched lower as he considered his opponents. The thin, sharp weapon in the hands of the white dressed youngling indicated a design for quick, precise strikes, whereas the hardened gauntlets on the yellow warrior implied a more blunt, personal approach. The scythe wielder was an enigma so far, as the Baron could not fathom such a weapon being used by so small a girl. Perhaps she used the weapon's sharpness and momentum, using the weight of her weapon to carry its edge through the air at sufficient speed?

As he continued to examine his options, the Baron slowly climbed higher into the foliage, his four arms providing the strength and care to displace his weight evenly, turning what would have been a creaking ascent into a hissing rise. The only sound he made was the rasp of his cloak and the quiet whirring of servos in his mechanical lower arms. Once Chaviks reached his new vantage point, he assessed the team of younglings from his new height. The blonde one was close – definitely on Chaviks' side of the clearing. She was looking into the woods below him, her arms half raised and tense as she searched for him. The white clad youth was checking the wounds of a Vandal from the House of Giants, one of the Baron's victims when he had discovered the crater minutes previously. The leader continued to watch the trees, her silver eyes searching quietly for the Baron even as he watched her. The red and black youngling was likely the most dangerous, both with her position as leader and her calm. The yellow one would likely be his second worry, and his first victim. The Baron considered his next move after pouncing the blonde. She was right below him, and blissfully ignorant to his presence. A quick fall, and his cloak flapping in the wind would be all she heard before his blades ended her. The leader would likely react next, and he would need to fell her quickly in time to react to the white and black younglings.

As the plan took shape in Chaviks' mind, he grinned evilly beneath his mask and palmed the hilts of his sabers. The anticipation nearly drove him to frenzy as he waited eagerly for an opening. A sharp gust of wind, one of the younglings yelling something, anything to trigger the distraction he needed to pounce. So focused was he on the first victim, he never noticed the shadow moving to his left. For someone so reliant on not making sound, a foe capable of the same silent movement should have been anticipated.

THWACK! A bladed strike to his side sent a jolt of shock through the Baron's body, and his ribs burned with a fire only a dagger could ignite. Another blade came down from his side – curved downward around a gloved hand, with what looked like a pistol attached – but Chaviks would not be brought down on surprise and stealth alone. The Baron dove sideways, hurling himself into the empty void of open air, and swiped with the saber drawn from his uninjured side. The assailant ducked underneath his swipe, a lock of black hair shorn and burned from the attacker's head as he leaped downward to another tree. A green jacket and white pants flashed by the Baron's eyes, even as he trembled with fury during his fall.

 _HOW?!_ Chaviks raged, snarling loudly as the blonde looked up to meet him, fists raised and an eager grin across her face. It had been a trap the whole time! Using the real arm on his injured left side while the mechanical arm held pressure to his wound, and the mechanical arm on his right, Chaviks flared his cloak behind him to slow his fall, and direct himself closer to the tree he had fallen from. He watched the girl below him frown in annoyance as he kicked off of the trunk, landing in a low crouch off to the side and closer to the white clad youth. Only she was not the only one waiting for him. Another youth, this one female as well, waited with one mother of a hammer, her own grin bordering manic as she reared back to greet him.

Startled the Baron might have been, even surprised if one went so far, but he was no young Dreg caught in a trap. Instead of landing on his feet as they likely expected him to, the Baron landed head first, tucking his shoulder as he rolled and shrinking his profile considerably. The hammer wielder did not anticipate such a low target, and the heavy head of her weapon wizzed over Chaviks as he continued forward. His last ditch effort to avoid an early grave courtesy of the hammer cost him his balance, and what would have been a tactical roll became a humiliating tumble across the loose ground. Chaviks' wound flared up angrily as he himself fumed, struggling to regain his footing as still more footsteps echoed in his hearing. The Baron abandoned his attempt to rise in favor of skittering away, crawling on his unoccupied arms like an insect as a crimson sword parted his cloak. Chaviks snarled at the afront as his precious cloak parted, opened behind his upper right elbow by another youngling, this one wielding a long sword and a bronze, circular shield. Beside her, another shield bearing youth presented his bulwark in obvious challenge, smacking the front of his shield with his blade.

The Baron seethed with rage as he slowly stood to his full height, even as all eight of the younglings emerged to challenge him. The black haired one from earlier dropped down behind him, ready to cut off any means of escape. A pity that running was the furthest thing from Chaviks' mind. He removed his arm from his bleeding side and threw all four limbs outward, roaring his displeasure and spite toward the children that dared challenge a Baron of the House of Scars.

* * *

 _A few minutes earlier_...

Ruby crept closer to the beaten path, following the glimmering droplets of blood left behind by the weakened Vandal. In truth, she was moving slowly not just to prevent her discovery, but also because something just didn't feel right. The reaper slowed her trot, Crescent Rose collapsing with a subtle flick of her wrist as she stooped to examine a particularly large blood spatter, roughly the size of her palm. Weiss was the first to catch up to her, the heiress stopping next to Ruby but keeping her eyes on the surrounding forest in case the mysterious assailant decided to turn around on them. Weiss paused, expecting their leader to continue after a moment of examination. When Ruby didn't move, Weiss looked down to see what the hold up was. Ruby's eyes were centered on the blood spatter, but they were unfocused; she was thinking.

"What's wrong, Ruby? We need to catch that thing before it gets too far away." Weiss urged, even as Blake approached. Yang hung back, watching their flanks in case of another attack. Both the heiress and the Faunus exchanged a look as Ruby scratched her nose absently, the gears in her mind turning as she considered the options. The actions of the Fallen, the Skiffs and their crash sites, and the way the Skiff scanned the cliffside before it was shot down...

"The Fallen are focusing on each other, judging by how things went in the clearing back there." The reaper thought out loud, standing up from her crouch and placing Crescent Rose on her back. "That big one could have taken us all out, but he was more worried about two wounded Fallen than a whole team of Guardians. Whatever is going on, they hate each other more than they care about us." Ruby paced the path they had been following, displaying a rare moment of forethought that had the others slowing down as well.

"You know, it _was_ strange how interested those two were in Flake." Weiss admitted, remembering how mesmerized the two Vandals had been by her Ghost. "On top of that, the two that came out of that ship didn't even draw their weapons once they saw we weren't attacking. What could be so important that they would ignore us for each other? Some kind of blood feud?" Ruby frowned at that, and Yang stepped in to add her two Lien.

"We're not the only ones on the ground, remember?" The blonde reminded, pointing a thumb in the direction of the first crash site where JNPR had been dropped off. "Check in with Jaune and the others, and let's see if we can figure out why they're here and where they are headed."

Ruby blinked at that, and winced when she realized that she had completely forgotten team JNPR. Definitely not a very leader like thing to lose track of your teammates.

"Oh...yeah. We should do that." Ruby said, rubbing the back of her head in embarrassment. With little more than a thought, Summer appeared and began linking the comm channels. Once she connected the two teams, Ruby and the others could hear loud breathing from multiple sources, as if team JNPR were running or chasing something.

"Jaune, it's Ruby." The reaper greeted. "We are on the ground, headed toward the second crash site. Where are you guys?" A few of the breaths quieted, but the continued pants told Ruby that they weren't slowing down.

 _"We're about a mile away from the first crater, following a survivor. He's heading your way."_ Jaune advised, and snapping branches in the background indicated that JNPR was not bothering with stealth in their chase. The sounds coming from within her own head still felt alien to Ruby, particularly with a shadowed menace stalking the forest. Every snapping twig coming from JNPR's transmission made her feel as though death was creeping up from a much closer locale.

"We've got a survivor we're chasing too, but this one is nasty." Yang supplied, eyeing the blood spot before them and the trail that lead further into the forest. "He killed two of the Fallen that survived a crash right in front of us, but he left us alone. Whatever these two Houses are, they hate each other more than they care about us."

With JNPR on the comm, it was no longer necessary to hold their position. Ruby gave the others a nod, and together the team moved deeper into the forest, following the slick evidence of their prey's malice. The blood remained in constant form, becoming neither more nor less frequent. Ruby continued through the woods, leading her team through underbush, trees, and down the occassional embankment as the forest sloped gently downward. The crash site they were heading for – the one the big Fallen was heading for too – sat low in the forest, in the center of a valley between two large ranges.

 _"According to Bastion, these two Houses are the House of Giants and the House of Scars."_ Pyrrha said from the other side of the valley. _"The Giants are a mystery, save for the fact that they appear to be more skilled than the Scars and of noble birth. As for the Scars, they seem to be particularly disreputable, even among the Fallen. The crash site we landed at was a Giants Skiff, but we found dead Scars soldiers."_ Weiss raised an eyebrow at this, though Ruby only noticed as the heiress jumped ahead of her to cover more ground. Together, they picked up the pace, as nearly a mile sat between the team and the crashed Skiff. Blake and Yang leaped through the trees while Ruby and Weiss remained on the ground, though neither path proved faster than the other as they made the same pace.

"So we've got two Fallen Houses that would rather fight each other than attack us? Why did they bother coming down here in the first place?" Blake asked, more out of rhetoric than in hopes that one of the other seven Guardians had an answer. Still, the question jogged Ruby's memory, both of their flight down from orbit as well as their encounter at the cliffside. The Skiff that had avoided damaging the school – she only assumed that it belonged to the Giants, based on the actions of its crew – had been looking for something, whereas its opponent had been content to lay waste to the area so long as its prey went down.

"When we caught up with the surviving ships, one of them deliberately avoided hitting the school, and was scanning the cliffside. The other one didn't care where its shots landed, as long as it shot the other one down. I think we're going to be fighting the Scars more than the Giants." Ruby advised the other team. "The Vandals from the Giants didn't even defend themselves when they saw we weren't attacking. We may be able to avoid fighting them."

 _"Remember what Professor Horst said, Ruby."_ Ren provided the counter argument. _"Just because they aren't fighting us now, doesn't mean they won't later. The House of Wolves had no problems betraying the Queen of the Awoken."_ Horst and Spirit had told the fledgling Guardians the sad tale of how the Awoken had offered refuge to the House of Wolves, and the incidental betrayal the Wolves returned for such hospitality. It was a hard lesson learned by the Awoken, but Ruby still felt like there was more going on than just a rivalry.

"I know. But we need to find this big one before we start considering anything else." Ruby brushed past the conversation; it could be hashed out later, when they weren't in danger of being stabbed in the back. "If you guys are coming from the opposite side, we'll circle around and join you. Maybe we can get around anything that Fallen has planned."

 _"I have a better idea."_ Ren's voice was not drawn from its usual calm, despite the pace they kept. _"This one we have now is likely a member of the House of Giants. If you are chasing one from the House of Scars. Is it possible to get them to fight each other, and wear down the more aggressive one?"_ The idea was a good one, and the actions of the Baron RWBY had encountered only cemented the theory that the Fallen would fight each other over the Guardians. Unfortunately, such an avenue would not prove easy.

 _"Jaune, I've lost him."_ Ren's admission caused team RWBY to stop in their tracks, slowing their approach to the crater. They hadn't even formed a plan and it was already going belly up? Great.

 _"Pyrrha, do you see anything? Nora?"_ Jaune's voice carried a worried edge, and any team leader would be unsettled when the alien pirate you are stalking suddenly disappears. A few more seconds passed, before a frustrated sigh came over the radio.

 _"Ruby, we lost the Giant. Wherever he went, he's covered his tracks. There's no more blood to follow, either. What should we do?"_ Jaune asked with another sigh. To be honest, Ruby wasn't sure what to do either. The House of Giants had displayed no motive to attack Remnant's inhabitants, even going so far as to avoid the school. That in itself was suspicious since, according to Spirit and Horst, Fallen rarely concerned themselves with collateral damage. Hoping she wouldn't regret it, Ruby bit her lip before getting back on the comm.

"Forget the Giants. We can deal with them later if it comes to it. Right now, we need to focus on the Scars. This big guy is heading toward the last crash site. If he wiped out the Giants and disappears, following them down here becomes a waste of time." Another copse of trees forced Ruby to jump, and she caught the disapproving look on Weiss' face. They'd have words later, for certain. "This guy has only seen us, so I don't think he knows you guys are out there. If we distract him, can you take him out?"

The heiress and Blake both had reservations about letting the other Fallen go. Just because a few of their injured hadn't attacked them, it didn't mean that the entire House was friendly. Their behavior towards Flake and the school was mysterious, but Weiss felt that Ruby was placing a lot of risk on too little information. Still, calling out your leader over the radio was bad form, and Ruby wasn't making the decision entirely uninformed. Weiss felt that they should find more out about this 'noble' House before trusting anything they did. Blake's objection was less diplomatic; the Fallen were known for treachery and betraying human allies, so choosing to ignore one of them so early in the game just ask for a knife in the back...maybe even literally.

 _"We're heading to you. Bastion, can you show us the way to Ruby's location?"_ Even Jaune sounded uneasy, though it was understandable since his team was closer to the Fallen they were giving up on. The team more likely to suffer if Ruby's gamble failed. A few ticks later, and a marker labeled 'JNPR' appeared in the distance, to the right of the crater they were heading towards. A distance tracker appeared next to it, reading '253.07 meters'. With the other team so close, it made sense to meet up.

Ruby and Blake were in the lead, and together they turned and lead the other two to the right, away from the crater. In the distance, snarling and a resounding roar echoed from the crater. It seemed that their large foe had met resistance near the crashed dropship. The decision to hold back suddenly acquired a lot more merit.

Ruby and Blake slowed down as their run ended at a smll creek, a small babbling brook that stretch a meter across and provided a small barrier between two lines of trees. The two halted their trek just at the edge of the water, looking around Ruby and Blake walked right up to the other team, but Yang trailed behind Weiss as she looked toward the clearing.

At this distance, the same feeling she'd felt upon reentry flared up again, and it made the hairs on the back of her neck stand on end. It felt as if she could sense the flickering flames that licked hungrily at the edges of the crater. They danced at the edge of her senses, like a tickle in her nose that leads to a sneeze...only far away instead of in her nose. It frustrated her, not even capable of describing something only she could feel! Maybe she could convey enough of the vague feeling for Blake to understand, but even then, the prickly feeling across her scalp would be hard to convey.

Yang was so enthralled with the odd ability to sense fire, she completely missed the conversation that Ruby and the others were having. Blake walked over and placed a hand on the blonde's shoulder, snapping her out of the trance she had fallen into.

"Yang, is everything alright?" Blake asked, concern in her voice as her golden eyes pierced the brawler's cheery facade before she could even bring it up. Yang grinned nevertheless, but the gesture never reached her eyes.

"Yeah, I think so. It's just...I've been noticing some weird things today." Yang pulled her partner over to the edge of the creek while the others deliberated, likely coming up with a plan. Once they were a safe distance away from the others, Yang's purple gaze took on a more worried look.

"Okay, either I'm going crazy, or I'm starting to sense fire." Yang just blurted out, and Blake blinked at her brash admission. Taking her silence as a sign to continue, Yang rubbed her neck anxiously as she struggled to put it into words.

"I noticed it first when we came in from orbit." Consider that a phrase she'd never expected to say. "When we were coming in, I could...I dunno, _feel_ the heat on the hull. It was like someone was playing with my hair or something. Either there's some side effects to being a Guardian or I'm going nuts." Blake winced at the last part, and cut her eyes toward the others to see if they were paying attention. When she saw that the rest of RWBY and all of JNPR were busy making some plan against the Fallen, Blake shook her head.

"Well, I can at least say you're not crazy. Or if you are, then I'm going crazy too." The Faunus said quietly, so that the others would not hear. This time, it was Yang's turn to be surprised.

"Huh?" An intelligent response, of all things.

"When we were on Spirit's ship, I tried to stay in the crew cabin when we weren't doing anything. Every time I entered the cargo bay, it felt like the shadows were...watching me. In the White Fang I was trained to take advantage of the shadows, to blend in and move silently. Even after I discovered my Semblance the shadows have been something I've used, something I've turned in my favor." Blake's eyes cut around her as if she were being hunted, though there was little strain in her posture. Whether that was due to how serious the issue was or just how good she was at hiding her emotions, Yang neither knew nor cared. "Now, ever since that night in the White Fang base, the shadows have been heavier. I'm almost afraid to use my clones."

Yang suddenly felt bad for thinking she had it rough. At worst, she was vaguely aware of a few campfires here and there. Blake had a legitimate reason to be afraid of the dark, something that was almost vital to her fighting style. Yang pursed her lips, and tried to look at things in a positive light.

"How do you know that it will affect your clones? For all you know, it's just the elements around you." Blake closed her eyes and shook her head with a wry grin, though there was a slight sense of melancholy in her actions. Like there was some joke that Yang wasn't getting.

"Yang, how many shadows do I have right now?" The blonde cocked an eyebrow, and looked down at the Faunus' feet. The sun was high in the sky, so the prospect of Blake having a shadow at all-

Her eyes widened immeasurably when she saw not one, not two, but three shadows cast by Blake's form. What's more, the dark shades that Blake possessed were much darker than Yang's own, three empty abyssal portals that connected at Blake's feet and mirrored her form. It was unnerving, and coupled with the observations Blake had made, it somewhat alarmed Yang. Was this normal among new Guardians, or was there something wrong with them?

"After we take care of the Fallen, we need to talk to Spirit and Horst about all of this." Blake muttered. "Do you think any of the others are starting to notice things?" Behind them, the rest of the newly minted Guardians were finishing up the plans on how to take down the Baron. Plans they should have been a part of, but it was too late to complain now. From just looking at them, the others did not seem disturbed in the slightest. Ruby, the first to ascend to Guardianship among all of them, seemed just as peppy and cheerful as she had always been. Maybe it was a fluke? Maybe Blake and Yang were having side effects to the ascension.

"Alright you two, here's what we're going to do." Ruby said eagerly, snapping Yang out of her trance. It was somewhat embarassing, to lose focus in the middle of a mission like this. Particularly when there was a shadow stalking the woods, lurking in some place out of view.

"Alright, lay it on me." Yang tried to cover up her confusion, something that was easier for Blake than the loud and boisterous blonde. Ruby cocked an eyebrow and offered a nervous, 'uh, okay?' before launching back into her explanation.

"We're going to approach from the opposite side of the clearing, you and me and Weiss. Blake can stick to the shadows and try to find the Fallen before he finds us. Team JNPR will be doing the same thing, but they will be farther away so he doesn't notice them. When someone finds him, we'll be the bait until they can hit him. After that, it's eight against one. We can't lose as long as we catch him by surprise." It wasn't a complex plan; there were no complex, multi triggered steps or feints to confuse the young Guardians. Yang was confident that they could pull it off with a little room for improvisation. The look of uncertainty that Blake sent her way still unnerved her all the same.

And the fires continued to burn in the distance.

"Alright, let's do it." Yang offered with a cheesy thumbs up, and everyone but Blake bought the faux gesture. Pyrrha and Jaune grinned to each other and looked toward the crater, both of them holding their weapons at the ready in case the Baron decided to come searching for more local prey. Ren disappeared into the foliage with only the whisper of leaves on his robes to announce his departure, much to Nora's dejected chagrin. Blake nodded to Yang one last time, her face an emotionless mask, before she too melted into the undergrowth. Ruby and Weiss turned toward the crash site as well, and together most of RWBY marched toward the last crash site – and what looked to be a difficult fight ahead. As she followed her little sister and the Schnee heiress, two things occupied Yang's mind, clamoring for her attention as she struggled to focus on the task at hand.

The snarling, grasping flames that surrounded the area fought for her notice, and the more looks she chanced around, the more insistent they became...that didn't even make sense! These small cinders and burnt remains of ship and tree called out to her, and they said many things. They were small, they were weak, they were ready...they were _hungry_. Every speck of conflagration begged to become an inferno, to feast upon something and grow strong. And she was the only one that could hear their cries.

Amid the whirlwind of her new sensations, the worry that she felt for Blake's predicament managed to distract her thoughts from the flames. The Faunus' shadows were her lifelines. The copies and images that she projected had saved her life on multiple occassions, and even the hint that Blake was afraid to use them handicapped her immensely. But if Yang or Blake mentioned their troubles, it was likely Ruby would force them to sit this one out. And the possbility of sitting on the sidelines while the others fought was unacceptable. So they remained quiet, and hoped that despite their new circumstances, fate would be kind and allow them all to escape this hunt unscathed.

The clearing looked similar to the last two JNPR and RWBY had cleared: broken trees, scattered limbs, leaves either scorched away or littering the forest floor, and the bitter remains of a Fallen dropship tilling up the land in a wide area. The Skiff had been imbedded into the ground, having nose dived from some height. As a result, the cockpit had either been pulverized into the ground or scattered over the area, leaving the tail end propped up on a mound of soft dirt that had been kicked up in the crash. The rods that the crew used to jump from hung out of the portholes lazily, whatever mechanism used to retract them destroyed by the impact as they hung slack in their bays. The dirt and rock that had slumbered underneath Emerald Forest for generations had finally been exposed to the air, dark brown chunks of clay crumbling even after almost an hour since the crash.

When Ruby, Yang, and Weiss stepped out into the clearing, the first thing they noticed was the smell. An acrid, metallic scent that reeked of death and disease. The source became abundantly clear as they stepped further into the clearing: three Fallen corpses lying in the crater. Two of them were heaped together on the far side, where they had originally come from before Ruby and Jaune had concocted their scheme. The third and final Vandal was on top of the Skiff wreckage, impaled on its own blade. Ruby and Yang headed toward the Skiff, while Yang went to investigate the two corpses near the edge of the clearing.

 _"Alright you guys, keep an eye out for him. When I spot him, don't react. We'll lose the element of surprise."_ Blake said quietly over the comm. Unable to answer without giving away the ruse, Ruby just nodded slightly and hoped that Blake saw the acknowledgement. Ruby climbed the crashed Skiff slowly, walking up to the top to get a good look around the clearing. Weiss went around the edge of the crash, skirting to the side to provide another view. All three of them kept their eyes peeled, even as Blake and Ren scoped out the clearing from the shadows. Yang got within three paces of the dead Fallen on her side of the clearing, and her eyes softened at the sight of them. One of the Vandals was covering the other one, an arm outstretched across its comrade that lacked a hand. It appeared to have raised its hand in defense, and had been cut down along with its partner. Yang shook her head, and diverted her attention to the surrounding trees. As she did, she noticed slight movement in one of the trees. It took every fiber of her being not to focus on the movement, and instead scan the area casually as if she had missed it. Just as she saw the Baron climbing the tree, Ren clicked the mic as well.

 _"I've got him. West side, climbing a tree twenty meters from Yang. I'll get him out of the tree. Everyone get in position."_ It took everything Yang had not to look up, and she could only assume Ruby faced a similar dilemma. Weiss probably had things under control, though; she had been groomed not to show emotion during business meetings. Yang continued to scan the woods in front of her, though the knowledge that the Baron was right above her in the trees caused the blonde to clench her fists. To have the enemy hanging above her like death was very unnerving. Just because she could come back from the dead (she'd already done it once) didn't mean she was looking forward to a knife in the skull. That kinda thing was bad for her hair.

 _"Be careful, Ren. He's watching Yang, but this guy looks strong."_ Blake whispered in their heads. The fact that her partner was watching over her was small comfort to the fact that the Fallen was watching her specifically. Despite her effort to appear nonplussed, a single bead of sweat trickled down her temple. Above her, she could hear nothing but the swaying trees, branches and leaves moving gently with the wind. But if Blake said he was there, then he was there.

A meaty THUNK above her was followed by a savage, inhuman growl, and Yang looked up with a feral grin. Just as she found the Baron's perch, she watched as Ren removed the Storm Flower that was buried in the Baron's side and ducked underneath a swipe. As Ren dove off of the branch, the Baron fell away from the perch as well – and he was headed straight for her.

 _Finally!_ The blonde cocked a fist back, ready to end this fight before it ever began. The Baron, however, had other plans. The falling Fallen spread his cloak out like an impromptu pair of wings, and used the control he achieved to get closer to the trunk of the tree. Just before she was ready to give him the uppercut of a lifetime, the Baron kicked off from the tree and landed over to her right, rolling as he did. She didn't even notice Nora had entered the clearing until she saw the valkyrie next to Weiss, standing with her hammer ready to swing. JNPR must have all acted at once.

The Baron slid underneath Nora's hammer even as the others converged on him. Jaune and Pyrrha chased after him, and Pyrrha's red sword sliced a hole in his fancy cloak. The big alien scrambled away like a cricket, using all six of its limbs to scuttle away and finally put some distance between himself and the Guardians. When he was finally a safe distance away from everyone, he stood up to his full height and flared all four arms out, bellowing an open challenge in defiance even as his side washed with blood. Blake and Ren landed behind him, and it felt like the fight was in the bag already. Yang and Ruby stepped forward with Jaune and Pyrrha, each one ready to make the first strike. Nora converted Magnhild into its grenade launcher form and stood next to Weiss, who began calling on her glyphs to support the others. They all expected the attack to go quickly, with one of the four closest to the Baron starting the attack and everyone else falling in line.

No one expected the Baron to attack first.

With a savage snarl, Chaviks leapt forward towards Pyrrha and Jaune with speed one would not expect from such a large creature. Twin sabers sent sparks across the Guardians' shields as they raised them in defense, but also blinded themselves to his next attack. The Baron reached downward with his lower right arm and snatched Jaune's ankle out from under him, dragging the blonde off of his feet as he yelped in surprise. Pyrrha tried to free her partner, but dual slashes from the sabers forced her backward until she retreated out of saber range. Before she could adjust and save Jaune, the Baron hurled JNPR's leader into the red head, sending them both rolling from the collision.

Yang and Ruby shared a worried glance, but they wouldn't back down now. The reaper cocked Crescent Rose backward and charged a round into the chamber, even as Blake separated Gambol Shroud into both swords. Instead of waiting for Chaviks to take them down one by one, team RWBY closed the gap.

"Freezer burn!" Ruby called out, and Yang bolted straight for Baron with a fist raised high. Chaviks crossed his blades in front of him and set his feet in a stance to block whatever Yang threw at him – and failed to notice the white glyph right in front of his feet. When Yang reached striking distance of the Baron, she stepped onto the glyph and jumped high into the air, propelled upwards by merit of her own strength as well as Weiss' magic. The Baron watched her unexpected ascension, and took his eyes off of Ruby and Blake. The sound of Crescent Rose firing reminded him of his mistake, but Ruby was already flying toward him before he could do anything about it. The Fallen's armor clanged as Ruby's scythe cut across it, denting and scratching the overlapping metal plates on his side as she slammed her blade into him. The reaper's momentum kept her moving forward, and she was out of range before Chaviks could spin around to counter attack. Just as he pivoted, Blake swept in underneath Ruby and slashed at the Baron's thighs with a savage cross cut, hoping for weaker armor on the extremities. Her blades failed to bite into flesh, but a shower of sparks and a howl of rage from the Baron indicated that she had done something. Both sabers hummed towards her as she blocked with Shroud, ducking and twisting out of harm's way as the Baron focused all of his fury onto the Faunus.

So preoccupied was he with Blake, he'd completely forgotten about the first Guardian to rush him. Yang's disappearance had been quickly dismissed after Ruby and Blake's rush, and the Baron was completely oblivious right up until the point when Yang's gauntlet-covered fist slammed into his head, forcing him to throw out his arms to keep from eating clay. Yang landed in a crouch right in front of the Fallen, and her next strike rose as she did. A nasty uppercut, accompanied by Ember Celica firing an incendiary blast, sent Chaviks flying backward over Blake's head and rolling across the ground. Ruby had to skirt out of the way as well as the Baron continued to roll and pitch across the ground, too stunned by a one-two strike to the head to right himself.

Luckily for Chaviks, a tree broke his momentum as the large Fallen slammed into the trunk of a large oak, sending splinters all over the area and causing the large tree to creak and groan pitifully. The Baron shook his head groggily and stood, his upper right arm clutching his mask as he struggled to recover from Yang's strike. Clearly, he had underestimated them because of their age, and he had been right to target the blonde one. It was time that he rectify that mistake. Chaviks snarled out his frustration and reached for his belt, tapping a small button that connected to one of his power cores. The Fallen utility cores were used to power various systems on their bodies, from respiration to Ether purification. In Chaviks' case, a sizable core had been slaved to his own personal Arc shield. Many Captains and Barons used strong shields, but the power cores that provided the energy for these barriers were tiny in comparison to the one Chaviks used. As such, this shield could remain active for far longer than its weaker counterparts, and withstand quite a bit more punishment.

With his gear activated and ready for another round, Chaviks bellowed once more and charged the Guardian that had done the most damage so far: Yang. The blonde's eyes widened when Chaviks dashed past both Jaune and Pyrrha to get to her, and she threw both arms up in a cross guard to stop the blades coming down on her. The impact was more than she expected, and Yang gritted her teeth as she was instantly forced to one knee. Behind the Baron, Ren and Ruby fired away at his exposed back with their weapons. To their dismay, the rounds did little more than disintegrate once they made contact with Chavik's shield, a bright blue aura flaring up around him in defense of its master. Worse still, the shield seemed to absorb the momentum of the rounds as well (I can't reasonably explain that and know what I'm saying. Short version: personal shields tell Issac Newton to go fuck himself.), and Yang was left facing down the Baron all by herself.

With both arms preoccupied blocking, Yang realized her mistake – and the Baron's strategy – when the first mechanical fist slammed into her face. The blonde winced as another came in to rock her abdomen, causing an involuntary spasm as her knees bent in response. Her barrier withstood the first two hits well enough, though the impacts shook her to the core, but after the third one landed in her side above her kidney all pretenses of protection left with the air in her lungs. Yang's guard weakened considerably, and her arms buckled underneath the Baron's sabers. She could feel his blades sliding around her gauntlets, and if she didn't do something fast her insides were about to become outsides. Luckily, Chaviks' brutal and relentless assault had stunned Yang's teammates for a few seconds. By the time Yang dropped to one knee, and the Baron reared back to strike her down with his blade, team JNPR offered their opinion on his actions.

Pyrrha slid in from the Baron's right and bashed his blades away with her shield, putting all of her weight into it in an attempt to throw the Fallen off balance. The blow was knocked to the side as she presented too much force spread over a wide area for his barrier to deflect, and the core flared in warning as Pyrrha's strike taxed it's abilities. Chaviks snarled at the interruption and grabbed her shield with his mechanical hands, wrenching it around in an effort to expose enough of her form to impale with his sparking sabers. Yang rolled backwards weakly to get away from the two and provide Pyrrha with some much needed leg room, just in time to get out of Jaune's way. The blonde knight presented his shield high and close to his shoulder, and charged in like a freight train while Chaviks continued to wrestle with Pyrrha. When Jaune hit the Baron in the chest, the charge forced the Fallen back several steps as Jaune dug in and pushed, straining with effort as he did his best to keep Chaviks off balance. With the Baron no longer latched onto her shield, Pyrrha added her own strength as well with a single shove and together they tossed the Baron backwards.

Chaviks stumbled backward from their combined push, but he would not be denied so easily. The Baron regained his posture easily and more quickly than the two shield bearers anticipated, and he started his own charge towards them before the two could get into their stances. Pyrrha rolled sideways and skirted underneath one blade while Jaune deflected the other with his shield, off balance though he was. Pyrrha circled around to Chaviks' flank while Jaune used both his sword and shield to bat away the Baron's ferocious strikes. Before Pyrrha could take advantage of her position, the Baron lunged forward and grabbed Jaune with both mechanical arms and swung him around toward Pyrrha. The two were anticipating his strategy of throwing his enemies into other enemies, however, and Pyrrha pulled Jaune from the Fallen's grasp before Chaviks could manipulate the blonde into some kind of meatshield. With the two now side by side, Jaune and Pyrrha unleashed a flurry of blows with their swords, crossing and changing positions as they blocked the Baron's slashes and punches. With two opponents striking and defending at once, Chaviks was hard pressed to do any damage as his barrier continued to suffer abuse.

With Jaune and Pyrrha tying up the Baron on the front in, Ren slid in behind him and hooked one of his Storm Flower pistols around the Fallen's ankle and pulled, emptying the other pistol's magazine into Chaviks' back as he did so. The rounds strained his power core even more, and the sweep caused him to drop to one knee and concede position to Jaune. With both warriors raining blows down from the front, forcing the Baron to parry and block as best he could with all four arms, and Ren harrassing him from behind, the Baron found himself surrounded and not enjoying the fight nearly as much as he had suspected. Rather than back down or retreat, however, Chaviks took the challenge in stride. Allowing his barrier to receive the brunt of the blows, draining it almost to the limit, the Baron rose to his full height and raised all four fists into the air. As soon as he reached as high as possible, the towering Fallen brought down his fists with all the forces he could muster, cracking the ground beneath him and sending out a shockwave that knocked the three Guardians tumbling away. Before he could enjoy his reprieve, however, Chaviks looked up in time to see a grenade round, its contact fuse decorated with a bright pink heart. The image burned into his mind, as the next moment it detonated in his face and pushed him backward and away from the clearing's center. As he slid, he failed to notice the spinning white glyph on the ground behind him.

Weiss waved her finger up and and around in the air, conjuring a battery of glyphs all around Chaviks as the first glyph covered his lower body in a thick sheet of ice. The cold, brittle prison around his legs caused the Baron to snarl in rage, and he brought down a hammer fist with his lower arms to try and break the ice. A loud crack echoed throughout the clearing, followed by an ominous hum. The crack was the ice fracturing but holding, something that Chaviks could handle. The hum concerned him.

Blake and Weiss stood on either side of him, both standing on rapidly spinning white glyphs. All around the Baron, more glyphs hung in the air above and beside him, maybe twenty in all. With his legs trapped, Chaviks could just look around at the strange magic, not quite understanding their purpose beyond the fact that it probably wasn't going to be healthy for him. He still had his barrier, though, even if it was getting weak-

A shot rang out from the center of the clearing, and a single high caliber round impacted on the Baron's chest. His barrier did its job, disintegrating the bullet as it made contact, but then the protective coating fizzled and died immediately after. Chaviks looked up from the burned patch on his chest plate and stared at Ruby, seething hatred clear in his eyes even despite the full faced mask. She had stripped away his defenses, just before her teammates would move in to attack. It infuriated him immensely, almost as much as that coy little smirk she offered before the other two attacked. Blake and Weiss didn't dash forward so much as disappear, white and black blurs that moved between the glyphs with lightning speed. They slashed at Chaviks and struck with every pass, moving too quickly for the Fallen to block or counter. The poor astard slashed at them anyway, trying to get in a lucky hit to knock them off balance. The loss of his barrier proved to be quite problematic.

Her blades were already sharp, but the alarmingly fast rate at which she moved made Blake far more deadly than she already was. The first few passes she slashed at the Baron's sides and chest, whittling down the armor and compromising its integrity, while Weiss poked away at the thicker pieces on the chest and stomach. When his upper right arm swung wild with a saber, Blake saw her chance and took it. Bouncing off of the last glyph Weiss had created, Blake crossed Gambol and Shroud in front of her and drove both blades in deep at the Fallen's shoulder, her speed and the sharpness of her blades shearing all the way to bone. Using the enhancement granted by Weiss' glyph, it was a matter of leverage as she opened her arms, cross cutting and sending the apendage flying separate from its owner. Chaviks screamed in pain as his arm and saber fell to the ground several feet away, the limb still twitching slightly as its nerves tried to respond to the brain. Blake and Weiss landed in a crouch next to each other, and turned to face the Baron again. Ruby, Jaune, and Pyrrha approached as well.

While Chaviks mourned the loss of his arm and began to crush the ice around his legs, Nora side stepped toward Yang. The blonde, stood clutching her side where the Fallen had punched her, but the was watching the fight with hooded eyes. Nora wasn't normally one to worried about her friends in a fight, as they were all capable warriors, but a silent Yang was a worrisome Yang.

"Yang, you okay?" Nora asked, keeping an eye on Chaviks as he used his remained three arms to remove the icy prison from his legs. Yang did not reply, but the air suddenly became a lot warmer. Her cushioned undersuit had taken much of the blow from Chaviks, but her Semblance still reflected back quite a bit of power from the Baron's punishment earlier. As could be expected, Yang's eyes were red when she lifted her head and her bangs fell away. What was strange were the streaks of fire around her guantlets, little floating torches that expelled heat at an alarming rate.

Whenever Yang's Semblance kicked in, things burning or blowing up was very common. Her hair glowed in response, and usually had the illusion of being on fire. But now, there were actual flames dancing across her clothing and gauntlets, like a secondary barrier ready to scorch any who would touch her again. It also had the unintended side effect of making her look absolutely menacing.

"I'm just dandy." Yang snarled, and before Nora could finish collapsing Magnhild into its launcher form, Yang had bolted forward toward the flailing Baron. Chaviks was so focused on freeing his trapped legs – a worthy goal, to be sure – that he didn't see the blonde he had pummeled approaching fast until she was right in his face. Yang caught up to him just as he was about to free himself, and she decided to help him out with that endeavor. The Yang's uppercut came from a full crouch, standing as she drove her fist into the Baron's chin for maximum force. As she did, the fire that had collected around her body – little flares along her arms, hanging off of her knees, and hovering around her head – all rushed along her body and up her arm. Just as the ice around the Baron's legs shattered and his body lifted off the ground, away from Yang's fist as he began to fly off into the sky. An uppercut from a pissed off Yang was already enough to send someone flying. But the flares that had covered her coalesced into a single, fiery ball just above her kuckles.

And then Ember Celica fired.

The incendiary round made direct contact with the dense ball of flame at the tip of her guantlet, and the ensuing explosion wrapped Yang and Chaviks in a swirling typhoon of fire, blasting everyone else away save Nora who had been too far away. The massive blast of heat and the swirling vortex hid both fighters from view. Ruby rolled back and looked up at the towering inferno, her eyes watering from the intense heat.

"Yang!" She cried out, but the roar of the flame blocked out any hope of her sister hearing her. Where had this come from? Yang was was powerful, and no stranger to fire, but the flame tornado in front of them was unlike anything she had ever seen Yang do. Beside Ruby, Blake picked herself up from the ground in a crouch, shielding her eyes with her hand as she watched the conflagration as well. Blake's mouth was set in a thin line, but she didn't seem particularly surprised. Had she been expecting this?

After a few seconds of watching the towering flame burn its way into the atmophere, the roar of the fire was interrupted every so often by the familiar sound of Ember Celica firing, and Yang's roar of frustration. The rounds were fired rapidly, like when she swung as fast as she could, and the detonations were taking longer and longer to be heard. Finally, the twister of flame parted at the bottom, dissipating as it flowed upward to reveal Yang hurling rounds further into the sky as hard as she could, with no Chaviks to be seen. The blonde swung and swung and swung, her gauntlets barking explosive shots into the air as she finished the magazine. Far above them, maybe fifty meters in the air, Chaviks continued to receive rounds from the blonde, each explosive detonation sending him further into the air. She had him on the ropes – but even Ruby knew that Yang would run out of ammo.

"Pyrrha, I need a lift!" Ruby said to her right, even as the champion found her feet. The red head nodded and held her shield in front of her, a perfect spring board. Ruby turned to Nora next.

"Nora, bring him back down. Hard." Ruby said with a grin that fought to match Nora's own. It didn't, but an effort was made. Nora looked up at Chaviks shrinking for in the sky, and she hefted Magnhild thoughtfully as she calculated the distance. Still thinking as she pointed her launcher skyward, Nora stuck out her tongue thoughtfully as the last round from Yang's frenzy impacted with the Baron. She hefted her launcher and aimed carefully.

Despite the fact that the only thing coming out of her gauntlets was a clicking sound, Yang kept swinging away with reckless abandon, not registering the fact that she was no longer firing. Her eyes blazed crimson, burning a hateful glare into the Baron that had put her on her knees. Pyrrha ran up next to the angry brawler and crouched down, just as Ruby jumped up onto her shield. Ruby spun Crescent Rose around to place the barrel on Pyrrha's shield, and she crouched as well. Behind them, Nora finally fired, a soft thump heralding the launch of a single grenade.

Chaviks was high up in the air, almost above the school by comparison. He hung listlessly in the flight, stunned from Yang's terrible strike and heady barrage of explosives. The loss of his arm left him weary as well. He did not notice the small capsule of explosive loft up just behind his back, even as he began to fall. He certainly did not recognize the tiny voice below him shout, "Now!" When the grenade exploded and propelled him back down toward the planet at breakneck speeds, he couldn't help but notice.

"GRAAAGGGHHH!" The Baron flailed his remaining arms in some attempt to slow his descent, roaring his displeasure as he plummeted back to Remnant. Below him, the distant echo of a gunshot below drew his attention. And his eyes grew wide at the sight of the cursed red and black youngling, trailed rose petals and the cursed scythe she wielded behind her as she continued firing. The Baron struggled to grasp his cloak, afford any kind of control he could over his fall to avoid the oncoming scythe. But the slash that the red headed youth had placed in his flowing mantle hindering any progress he might make. By the time he realized this, she was upon him. Chaviks waved his arms as she came close, trying to shift just the slightest to avoid her. It proved to be a poor mistake.

Despite the speed she had at her disposal, as well as the battering he had already taken, Ruby was not confident that Crescent Rose could cut through the Fallen's heavy curiass. Instead, she decided to go for the arms. As the two passed each other in the air, one rocketed upwards while the other hurtled downward, her scythe sliced through the Baron's left arms, both flesh and metal. Chaviks howled in agony and thrashed with his single remaining mechanical arm. Ruby was not done, however, as her velocity petered out, and she joined the Baron in freefall. And Ruby wasn't making the trip alone. Firing Crescent Rose toward the sky, she changed direction and streaked back downward toward the Baron, streamlining herself wherever possible to catch up to him. She caught him by surprise when her boots slammed into his back, and Crescent Rose's barrel pressed to his lower back. Ruby fired three rounds, each one piercing the armor and the Baron himself as she exhausted her magazine. Instead of pulling off to swap mags, she drove her weight into the damaged area and kicked off, sending Chaviks hurtling downward at even greater speeds, and bleeding out of several holes.

Down below, Yang and Pyrrha jumped backward just in time for the Baron to impact with the surface, sending out a shockwave and covered the area in dust with such force to rival the Skiff that had landed here just minutes earlier. Ruby finally reloaded Crescent Rose and fired two or three shots to slow her descent, landing in a crouch next to her sister. When she stood up, the team leader turned to face the crater where her victim had landed, and waited for the dust to settle. When it did, it revealed that Chaviks was in poor condition indeed.

The Baron was lying on his back, likely having twisted in his final fall, his remaining arm across his stomach in an effort to staunch his wounds. His head lolled to the side, though labored breathing could be heard that indicated he was concious. His armor and clothing her in tatters, his cloak nearly obliterated by the landing. Chaviks let out a wet cough as Yang and Ruby approached, Jaune not far behind. When he looked up to face them, the Baron let out a gurgling chuckle.

 _"Iztch domin, galich inept duron."_ He said groggily, though there was no way any of the young Guardians before him could understand him. RWBY and JNPR looked around at each other, confused both at his words and the fact that they had beaten the big bad Fallen. So overjoyed were the teens, and Ruby especially, that they didn't see the Baron reach for his belt. His grasping metal hand found two things: an emergency transponder for the _Lesson Learned's_ transmat system, and a shrapnel grenade. He tabbed the emergency transponder, the action every bit as humilating as he had dreamed it to be, and then primed the shrapnel grenade. Chaviks had been beaten, but his opponents would not know victory. He was an ass that way.

Just as his form glittered and disappeared as the grenade dropped into the crater he had left behind, the Baron did not notice the faint shimmer in the air that often accompanied a Fallen cloak. The metal explosive clanked into the dirt softly, unheard by Ruby and the others as they stared at the Baron's departing figure. Yang noticed the grenade first, but even she was too late to do anything other than call out.

"Ruby, get back!" Even though she said it, Yang knew that she'd be too late. In another few seconds, Ruby and probably Jaune would be painted across the clearing like all the Fallen had been. Then there'd be an awkward pause while they waited for them to resurrect, and Ruby would go into another one of those phases like she had after she'd started Guardian training...

A shimmering cloak materialized out of thin air, and another large Fallen, second only to the Baron, reached down from the other side of the crater and grabbed the grenade. Ruby stumbled back, more in reaction to the large Fallen than the explosive device, just in time to avoid getting whipped in the face by his cloak as the unknown Fallen spun and chuckled the grenade as far as he could. The little cylinder flew almost out of sight, before detonating into a cloud of serrated metal with a loud bang. A few of the metal pieces reached the Guardians, a particularly large one embedding itself in the soft dirt in front of Ruby's boot. The rest of the shrapnel fell to the ground in clatters and crunches, while the Fallen continued to stare out at where he had thrown the grenade.

Silence reigned over the clearing for a moment as the eight new Guardians appraised their savior, even knowing that a grenade wasn't something to put them down permanently. Why would this Captain save them after Chaviks had spent so much effort trying to put them down? He looked different from Chaviks, though a blood spot on his cloak indicated that he had been wounded previously.

"I think this is the guy we were following earlier." Jaune whispered, struggling to stand from where he had tripped backing away. Beside him, Pyrrha stood at the ready, not willing to expect any more altruism out of the Fallen than what he had already shown. She watched him like a hawk, though the only movement she could track beyond his massive cloak was the movement of his head and the motion of his shoulders.

This Captain looked decidedly different from the many Fallen they had seen on Horst's videos, almost like a different culture. Where many Fallen they had seen boasted intimidating, spikey helmets and mechanical limbs and augmentations. This particular Captain's helmet was smooth across the top, and flanged outward at either side with what could be described as wings. Two metal flechettes curved gently toward the sky, and the four eye slits were hooded instead of glowing like many of his brethren. Instead of a scavenged amalgation of parts and plates, his armor looked like a Guardians, a perfect mix of aesthetic and protection. The armor flowed with the contours of his chest and abdomen, separating just below the breastplate to allow for movement. His legs were protected by segmented greaves that had several sections at the knees, likely allowing for greater movement that the solid pads Guardians enjoyed. Also unlike the dark colors that Fallen used for skulking in the dark, the Captain's armor was silver, and the cloth underneath it yellow and golden. His cloak bore the emblem of the House of Giants, and was embroidered in golden onto a white material similar to Spirit's cloak. This was the warrior that turned to face them.

At first, no one moved. They just stared each other down. Ruby and Jaune stood in front of their teams, closer to the Captain than the others. They felt his eyes, hidden by the slits of his helm, roam over them studiously. He examined them carefully, as if taking their measure and judging them by his own standards. Though they did not know it, he had witnessed their entire encounter with Chaviks. It had...impressed him.

 _"Savok moreel. Untarel fella kush."_ The Captain said, his deep voice falling on ignorant ears that failed to comprehend his language. With that, the Captain took a deep bow, and disappeared in a shimmer of Light as well. Ruby watched him vanish into thin air, already familiar with the transmat system, and looked up toward whatever ships the two Fallen had returned to. It was likely they'd been transported back to their Ketches, since not one Skiff survived the landing. That meant that the fight going on in orbit was still in progress. Even though she knew they would be fine, deep down Ruby began to worry about Spirit and Horst. Two Ketches seemed like a lot for two little ships to take on.

"Uh, Ruby." Blake patted the reaper on the shoulder, shaking her out of her thoughts and causing her to look around. Ren and Nora were already facing toward the woods, with Jaune, Pyrrha, and Yang behind Ruby with weapons at the ready. At first, the leader didn't understand their caution, until the distant growls and snarls of a few dozen Beowulfs reached her ears.

"Oh, for the love of..." Ruby rubbed the bridge of her nose in exasperation. They had a Fallen civil war taking place in space, and the Grimm had shown up to make sure they would miss all the action! Such inconsiderate creatures, the Grimm.

"Wipe them out! We have to get back to the professors about the House of Giants." Ruby ordered, and extended Crescent Rose to full size. Blake nodded and drew Gambol Shroud as well, and together all eight jumped into the fray. As they dispatched the incoming Grimm with ease, more howling and snarling in the distance indicated that a lot of Grimm were invited to this party.

* * *

Ozpin paced the clocktower, shaking his head in frustration as the three conversations going on at once. On one line, he had Ironwood demanding what the hell had flown so close to the school and shot each other down. On the other, the Vale council were demanding a different sort of explanation, largely why Horst and Spirit weren't in chains. The third line was Horst himself, insisting that Ozpin deploy a Huntsman team to a location in Atlas where the Gateway system was supposedly located. On top of that, two of his most promising first year teams were in the Emerald Forest unsupervised and hunting down alien pirates.

This was why he hated Mondays.

"Yes councilor, I understand your concern for the students and the general public. However, I have every reason to trust these individuals with both the safety and security of my charges and my home. They have proven themselves on numerous occassions to be far more benficial than you are." A hard edge crept into Ozpin's tone as he addressed the first caller. No picture displayed, merely the silhouette of a man with either a silly hat or an outrageous hairdo. Ozpin had met the man in person on numerous occassions; it was the latter.

"Have a care, Headmaster. I shouldn't have to remind you of where your power comes from. You were delegated to your position by the people of Vale, to guide and train their children to become the next generation of Huntsmen. There was nothing in that promise about trusting their futures into the hands of aliens, beings from another planet!" The portly man raged into the scroll, though his ire did little to scare or intimidate Ozpin. In fact, all it did was incite the Headmaster further.

"Need I remind _you_ of the last person to threaten me, councilor? I can assure you that the rebels from Menagerie were much more capable than you are, both martially and politically. And they fell to me all the same. Do not mistake my patience for cowardice." Feeling a little too much like he was brow beating the man, Ozpin's tone softened. "I can assure you, the situation is being handled in an expediant and orderly fashion. We will have results within seventy two hours. There are no riots in the streets or buildings on fire, so I find it safe to assume that the only one going crazy about this situation is you."

"Ozpin, you now well and good that-" The councilor's tirade was cut off prematurely, and Ozpin looked down at the controls next to his tea.

"Oh dear, my finger seems to have slipped. Oh well, boring conversation anyway." The Headmaster muttered, before cutting back over to the third line. In the background, he could here faint reverberations and a myriad of beeping noises, likely from Horst's anti-missile systems. From what Ozpin could allude, it was one hell of a fight up there.

"Sorry about the delay, Titan. The councilors are at my throat over the reveal and the Fallen. Are you sure it can't wait until you or one of the teams down here are done?" Ozpin pressed, hoping for another alternative. "I trust my students around you, but frankly these people you recommended sound less than reputable."

 _"If I had given you all of my qualifications on day one, I would not have been very 'reputable' either, Headmaster."_ Horst snarked, and muttered a few choice curses as he continued to pilot his ship in the battle above Remnant. _"The team is solid, if untested, and if dangle that promise in front of their eyes both the team and the company will fight one another to accomplish the objective. Especially if the boy was as injured as I suspected."_ Despite Horst's assurances, Ozpin still wrinkled his nose at the idea. From what he had been told by both Goodwitch and Horst, the company that he had in mind were expert fighters and transporters, though one of them was quite the loose cannon. If she was willing to go for the bait, Ozpin didn't mind, but that amount of unbridled blood lust did not bode well for newer students. If Qrow had arrive, Ozpin would have sent him on the mission, but the drunkard was nowhere to be found. Add that to the list of students still on missions, and Ozpin didn't have much choice.

"Very well, but I'll have to contact the umbrella company in order to make contact. It seems that their office here burst into flames the other night." It was true: a great fireball had consumed a warehouse dock just two nights prior, and initial reports indicated that the building had been booby trapped and some poor sap had tripped the surprises. Tracking down one boat on the ocean would prove difficult, even if he had Horst and his ship.

 _"Just stress that this may be Rock's last chance. No matter how much she may despise you, Revy will do anything to keep him alive."_ With that piece of advice, Horst disconnected, likely too distracted to discuss the topic any further. Ozpin couldn't blame him. While he himself had not piloted an airship in the middle of a dogfight, he had been on plenty of ships that spent time duking it out in the skies. The prospect of doing so in the vaccum of space did not sit well with the Headmaster.

Ironwood's call still waited, the Atlesian general's image flashing gently as Ironwood waited for Ozpin to pick their conversation back up. The Headmaster sat for a few moments, pondering his next words to his long time friend. Unfortunately, Ozpin came up at somewhat of a loss. There was nothing good he had to say to the general. Even as he pondered the predicament, Horst's suggestion about the delivery company came to mind. Vale PD records indicated that the woman on the _Black_ _Lagoon_ had lead a troubled life before her induction into the Lagoon Company, the most prominent black mark being the murder of her abusive step father. In a tumultuous time during the war, murders like this were common, and often seen as a Faunus attack. However, VPD linked to young woman to the murder and took her into custody. Following a twenty four hour investigative period, a heinous rape ended in the injury and indictment of two VPD officers and Revy disappearing into the criminal underworld. And now, it seemed she was the biggest bargaining chip he had in opening the Gateway. Unless he wanted to risk waiting until the Guardians finished their prospective fights to focus on the transit system, though neither Ruby's team nor Horst and Spirit were guaranteed to win their skirmishes.

Throwing caution to the wind, Ozpin swiped Ironwood's image to the right for the time being and opened up a new line, this one protected and encrypted from prying eyes and ears. The fiasco with the strange woman at the CCT had the Headmaster more cautious than usual, especially around computers. But unfortunately, this was the only terminal he could make the call from and expect an answer. Ozpin dialed the number from memory, though he had not used it for some time. The line rang for a tone and a half, before a man with an impossibly deep voice answered.

 _"Bougainvillea Trading Company."_ The man on the other line said. Considering how long it had been since they had last spoken, Ozpin was certain the man would have retired by now.

"Sergeant Boris, it's been too long. This is Headmaster Ozpin." He decided to be cordial about the call. There was no telling whether the Lagoon Company would accept his request, and he had to keep his options open.

 _"Good afternoon, professor. I must admit, I didn't think we'd be hearing from you again after our last assignment."_ Boris may have spoken of surprise, but his voice showed none of it. The event that Boris spoke of had been a secretive experimental weapon trade between Atlas and Vale, before Ozpin and Ironwood's close friendship had been widely known. Ozpin had donated a few state of the art pieces of machinery to Ironwood's cause, and the Bougainvillea Trading Company – more casually known as Hotel Moscow – had overseen the deal. Unfortunately, unknown insurgents had caught wind of the hand off, and Hotel Moscow's men had been unable to protect the shipment. Their leader had reported that sufficent revenge had been taken against the insurgents, but the experimental gear had vanished into the underground and Ozpin's relationship with Hotel Moscow had soured.

"Yes, well, circumstances have changed. I understand that there is a smaller company under your umbrella, one that goes by the Lagoon Company? I have an exclusive and time sensitive mission for them." Ozpin said easily. Horst had informed him of Lagoon's wounded crewman, and the injuries the young man had sustained. If the Titan's account was true, it was a miracle the man was still alive.

 _"I see. I'm afraid that they are currently roster out at the moment for medical evaluation. I believe that the Kapitan would like to speak with you first, in any case."_ Boris was ever the loyal soldier; there was no dealing past him to escape the notice of his superior. The former captain in the Atlesian Northern Command had earned the undying trust of her subordinates during the Faunus War. After everything calmed down, the aggressive and borderline immoral actions of the ANC against Faunus captives resulted in the dissolution of that branch of the military, and Hotel Moscow's leader found herself out on her ass with a few nasty acid burns and a battalion of highly trained and broken soldiers. Three weeks after their discharge, her second in command was murdered over dirty money. And so, the mafia syndicate known as Hotel Moscow, named after the small town in which the leader had been born, was formed.

"I imagine so. I'll hold, Sergeant. It was good speaking with you."

" _The same to you, professor."_

A small click indicated that his terminal had been muted, and Ozpin took a deep, settling breath. Sofiya Pavlovna was not a woman to suffer pleasantries, and she often tried to unsettle those that she dealt with in order to gain the upper hand. In a situation where time wasn't of the essence, Ozpin would almost enjoy the verbal dueling that came with dealing with the Hotel Moscow boss. However, time was working against him as the Guardians fought off an inadvertent Fallen invasion. After a moments of waiting, the terminal clicked again, and the confident, velvety voice of Balalaika floated across his ears.

" _Good afternoon professor. It is so good to hear from you again."_ He could hear the grin she wore in her voice, and imagined it having met her in person. All teeth, no smile, like a grinning shark. Ozpin took the greeting in stride, and decided to be as blunt as possible.

"Good to hear from you as well, Balalaika. It would seem circumstances have forced me to seek you out again. I have a job for one of your couriers, however it must be this particular team." Hopefully, he'd made his request before she could get curious. Fate, however, was not on his side. The Headmaster closed his eyes wearily even as the woman on the other line chuckled.

 _"Would this have anything to do with that press conference earlier today, or perhaps the strange alien ships seen flying over your school? I must say, Headmaster, you certainly keep interesting company."_ The sly tone that she used indicated that Balalaika knew exactly what circumstances he meant. _"Am I to assume that you are looking for Lagoon Company?"_

"That's correct. They've worked with the Guardians before, and I have an offer that I'm sure they will find quite tempting." Ozpin replied, gripping his cane a little harder as he felt the devil come out in her. She wouldn't hesitate to snatch up an offer such as his, and the knowledge that a Ghost would likely reject her was small comfort.

 _And what incentive could you possibly offer Lagoon that I would not want myself? I'm the only way you have of contacting them, particularly now when they do not want to be found. I have no problems helping you, but I'm afraid you'll have to make it worth my while."_ Another troubled sigh escaped Ozpin, and Balalaika must have heard it. A charming laugh that had no place coming from a mafia boss came over the terminal, and Ozpin waited patiently for her to finish as she expressed her mirth.

 _"Oz, darling. I'm just teasing you. You really must lighten up sometime. Of course I can direct you to Lagoon. It will just take me a few moments."_ He heard a few taps on the other side, and a pleased 'ahah' come from Balalaika. Despite how it seemed, Ozpin knew he had racked up some sort of bill going through this channel. However, Ironwood's forces were to conspicuous, and the Vale Hunstmen were too scarce for the kind of escort he needed. This was necessary, regardless of what toll he incurred for later.

 _"I'll direct you to their personal line shortly. Don't be a stranger now, Oz. There's a lot we have to catch up on."_

"I agree, madame. In fact, I think we should try Mr. Zavala's blintzes down on 34th Street. Glynda tells me they're to die for." Ozpin offered. "Thank you for your assistance."

 _"It's no great sacrifice of mine, professor. I'll let you know when my schedule opens. See you then!"_ The gleeful way that she ended the call did not sit well with Ozpin. As it clicked and a short tone indicated that he was being transferred (he saved the address with a few commands to prevent going through Hotel Moscow again), Ozpin considered what the war driven woman was plotting. Clearly she had been itching to get into the Guardian dilemma as soon as she heard about it. What kind of leverage he could expect in the future was anyone's guess.

Another click was followed by a small amount of feedback, likely due to the extreme range and the age of Dutch's equipment. However, when he picked up, Ozpin could hear the captain of the _Black Lagoon_ just fine.

 _"This is the Lagoon. Balalaika said you had a job for us?"_ His gruff tone indicated that he wasn't interested, but Ozpin knew that Dutch wasn't the one he had to convince. Still, manuevering to get the most volatile member of the crew on the phone would take prodding.

"Yes, this is Professor Ozpin from Beacon. My good friend Horst recommended your services for a very important job I had planned." As soon as he stopped speaking, Ozpin could hear the background noise again. Apparently, Dutch's communication system was one-way only: only one party could speak at a time. A more polite and professional manner of communication, but also one that gave Ozpin no context for what was going on onboard the _Lagoon_.

 _"I'm sorry to say this, professor, but we're gonna have to decline. I've got one sailor down and another tending to him, which leaves my total healthy crew at two. Any other day I'd be willing to work with you, but I'm afraid this is a bad time."_ Horst's description of Rock's wound was fresh in Ozpin's mind, and the weight in his words reflected that.

"Yes, I understand Rock suffered a serious injury at the hands of the White Fang. From what I have been told, it may even be that the boy is living on borrowed time." Ozpin hesitated. "I understand that miss Revy has refused to leave his side? If I could convince her to go on the mission, would you agree to do it?" Another click, and Ozpin was waiting for the response. When it finally came, Dutch's incredulous reaction was to be expected.

 _"Now there's a request I don't get every day. What kind of job is this, anyway?"_ At least he had the man's attention. Now he had to sell the idea.

"I need a team of Huntsmen in training that are familiar with the Guardians to reach a remote location in Atlas, near the coast. If possible, I would also task your services to protect the students until they can complete a vital mission of great importance. Remnant itself may hang in the balance." Opzin was not keen on giving Dutch any more information now, considering the captain had the option to back out of the deal if he felt it was unsafe or a waste of time.

 _"Alright, I'll let you tak to Revy. But I warn you, she's been in a mood ever since Rock was hit."_ That was understandable. Considering that Revy was Rock's bodyguard on many missions, from what Dutch had told Horst on the boat, the feeling that she had let down her partner must have crushed her. To read any deeper into it than that, Ozpin would need to take their measure.

A click indicated that Dutch had left the communication station, and Ozpin waited several minutes listening to the nearly silent feedback of a grainy old radio. While he waited, the Headmaster picked at his nails, eager for the conversation to be over with one way or another so that he could contact Ironwood with the updated news.

Ten minutes later, the line picked up again, and the gruff and haunted voice of a weary and worn woman came over the radio.

 _"What do you want?"_ A blunt demand by any means, but Ozpin had to consider her partner's health. He let the rude demand slide and powered right past it, focusing on the one thing that seemed to make the gunslinger tick.

"I was calling to check on Rock, actually. From what Titan Horst said, he was in a bad way the last time we saw you. Has he made any progress?" Though he knew the answer already, asking it from her just solidified the very real possibility that Rock might not make it to the end of the week with his injuries. Ozpin was betting on that to hold sway over Two Hands.

 _"...No. He's getting worse."_ It was more of an admission of guilt than a status update, and Ozpin could feel the regret in her voice even as she replied. It was sad to hear, and Ozpin hated to exploit it. But they didn't really have a choice now.

"That is unfortunate. You have my condolensces." Ozpin offered simply, before trailing with ease. "That being said, what if I told you that I could prevent anything terrible from occuring to him tonight?" There was silence on the other end, and Ozpin knew the young woman was in turmoil. With a background like hers, the kind of life a petty criminal living on the street could live, Ozpin was not surprised by the reaction he got.

 _"And what is this 'help' gonna fuckin' cost us, huh? What do you want from us?"_ Her hostility was born from years of not trusting the system, the government, or really anyone beyond her small circle of friends. Such independence was a strength in many cases, but with Ozpin pulling the strings Revy's reliance on her crew became a weakness. Easily exploited, and readily taken advantage of.

"My team will open up commerce and trade with the Guardians, miss Rebecca. The only thing I need you to do is make sure they reach their destination. Kill any Grimm that get in their way. If they succeed, one half of your payment will come through immediately. The other half will be wired through the usual accounts." It wouldn't be the first time he'd used the kingdom's funds to pay some less than savory individuals, but sometimes you had to look outside of the box to get things done. Particularly with an uncooperative council like Vale's.

 _"So what kind of help can you give us? Rock's hardly got an hour left in him. You got some kind of space magic, some special medicine to make all the bad go away? Just how fucking gullible do you think I am?"_

"I'm offering him immortality. And it's up to you to make sure that he gets it. If you succeed, he'll won't have to worry about an injury ever again." That wasn't quite true, but Horst had judged the young man a decent sort from what weak contributions he had made to their cause. On top of the attack of morality the young sailor had endured that had lead to his injury, Ozpin felt that he was likely Guardian material.

 _"..." CLICK._ Whatever else Two Hands had to say, she didn't feel like saying it to Ozpin. The Headmaster listened intently as nothing more than the occassional pur of feedback came across the line. Had he pushed too hard? Perhaps immortality was a bit of a stretch to offer, even despite the press conference earlier that day. Maybe she thought he was crazy. There were plenty of citizens in Vale that had made such accusations, even with an actual space ship picking up the Guardians from the conference.

 _"I don't know what you said to her, but Revy wants the job."_ Dutch's smooth voice came back over the channel. _"Our usual rate is five hundred grand, but I'm willing to offer a discount after everything your Titan did to help us. I can't imagine what went down in that base."_ Dutch paused. _"If what you're saying is true, and we're gonna open up some kind of portal to where the Guardians come from, things are going to get exciting. And what's the point of life if you can't get excited?"_

"Well said, Dutch. I'll wire the funds once my team reports success. I'll get them briefed, and a Bullhead should have them at Vale's shores before sundown. I'll give the pilot your contact information." Ozpin sighed heavily. "I know this sounds strange and far fetched, but the Guardians I've dealt with are good people. They are strong, and have withstood far more than we have in our short time on this planet. I may be making a choice for everyone on Remnant, but I doubt it is one I will regret."

 _"Hmm. Well, this is a lucrative business for us whether things turn out for better or worse. And if these guys are as good as you say, I may be adding a new dimension to my company's transport media. I saw that sleek looking spaceship. I'm keeping an open mind. Pleasure doing business with you, Headmaster."_

"The same. Keep in touch, Dutch." Ozpin closed the call this time, and once again Ironwood's flashing image was the only thing on his desk for a few moments. The transport into the Atlesian wilderness was taken care of, despite how much Ironwood would protest to it. As good a friend as James was, Ozpin knew that the general was one branch of a very large tree. And he knew with some certainty that there were many Atlas citizens that would be opposed to an alliance with the Guardians.

 _One battle at a time._ He reminded himself, and keyed up Glynda's scroll.

 _"Yes, Professor Ozpin?"_ Came Goodwitch's professional tone. Oz knew the roster of his school like the back of his hand, and he knew there was another weakness to exploit. He had taken advantage of Revy's dedication to her crew. Now he had some pride to stoke.

"Have team CRDL prepare for a long distance mission. I need them ready and in my office in thirty minutes."

I know there's a lot of hate for CRDL among the fanbase, but they have more potential than just schoolyard bullies. That, and I started a line where Cardin looked up to Horst and let it drop. The boy has potential, and I figured there was a little bit to learn.


	23. Chapter 23

Hope you salty bastards had a good Thanksgiving. For my foreign readers, thank your lucky stars for not having to endure an American Black Friday. Especially while working in Law Enforcement. People are crazy.

 **Chapter 23**

* * *

Shredder rounds danced across the cockpit, scratching the hardened glass as a Fallen Dirk strafed the _Infinite Sky_ and continued onward. Too slow to turn and retaliate, Spirit was forced to eye the new scratch on her display and grit her teeth in fury.

"I'm taking the Glimmer to pay for that out of your ass, dactyl!" She growled as her lumbering ship finally allowed for pursuit. The nimble Dart dove this way and that, avoiding her tracking system for the autocannons with ease as they scanned the debris field. Her frustration grew with each near miss, and the Hunter switched to some of her tracking missiles instead. A new reticle appeared on screen, and homed in on the Fallen ship immediately. The Dart's countermeasures must have alerted the pilot, because the Dart ceased its evasive maneuvers and settled into a gentle bank, nearly killing the engines completely to mask his thermal signature. Any heat-seekers she launched would get caught up in the confusion of the battle around them, and the Dart would survive to fly again.

Big mistake. Spirit switched back to her autocannons and tore the Dart apart, sending large caliber holes through the cockpit and wings before the pilot could even realize her ploy. The _Infinite Sky_ plowed through the Dart's debris field, and Spirit let a dark chuckle escape as she enjoyed her victory.

She'd always hated Darts. The Awoken in the Reef had adopted the craft as their primary patrol ships, and even employed them in ship to ship combat among the massive graveyards that made up the Reef. Any Fallen or Hive that sought the Awoken in that cluttered ring of debris only found destruction, as the combination of the Dart's acrobatics and the pilot's experience with the terrain cut down any that encroached on their territory. The three long, conjoined tubes faced forward, one on the bottom and two on top with a square bank of thrusters. The long spires that made up the ship and concealed its navigation and weapon systems made it so satisfying to scatter the pieces in orbit and send them spinning off into oblivion.

Spirit didn't have much time to enjoy her victory as the larger participants in the battle broke off from each other. The decision to postpone the exchange of fire and end the vicious broadside did not seem to take effect right away, but rather gradually as the two hulking Ketches slowly moved away from each other. The batteries along each side still fired, but the hail of munitions trailed off as their fields of fire narrowed. Once it became clear to the gunners that the fight was done, they exposed turrets retreated into their circular spider holes and the ships were sealed once more. The Ketch belonging to the House of Scars retreated toward the horizon of the planet, blowing past Horst as he struggled to get out of the way. The Giants' Ketch simply slowed their speed, counter thrusters flaring toward the bow as the ship came to a stop, hanging in orbit above Remnant.

The Ketch before them had several burns and scorch marks from Arc cannon fire, its gilded hull marred by the battle scars. However, the damage to the ship appeared to be largely cosmetic, save for a hull breach near the cargo bay, a ragged tear heading toward the aft of the ship that slowly leaked atmosphere into the vacuum of space. The starboard guns retreated into their ports, the long cannons glowing cherry red from rapid fire. The port side guns remained out however, and their charged barrels pointed toward the two Guardian ships that had not left the area.

As the _Infinite Sky_ and the _Iron Symphony_ hung in orbit together in loose formation, Horst piloting behind her, the guns on the Ketch that remained trained on them. The House of Giants pointed their guns at the Guardians, but scans of the ship did not indicate the power draw for another salvo. It was a message as much as preparation: _Don't try anything._

Despite the somewhat hostile greeting that it was, such activity was uncharacteristically passive for the Fallen. In Spirit's experience, Fallen tended to shoot first and ask questions never. Considering that the only Fallen she'd ever met that hadn't outright attacked her had been Variks the Loyal, the Eliksni that Horst had won his ship from, her experiences were somewhat monotonous. Fallen see you, growl, smell bad, shoot. Repeat for every incident.

And yet, the Giants did not fire. It was intriguing, that was for sure. A little white light appeared on the screen to her left, signifying an incoming transmission. And it wasn't from Horst. She opened a comm channel with him anyway before she answered the call. Instead of any audio, a single line of Fallen text, all shapes and hieroglyphs, danced across the screen.

"Hey, Hope? Can you translate this?" Spirit asked, even as a side view of Horst's face appeared next to the text. While he was on the channel, Horst could see a display of the text as well.

"I'll get it as close as I can. My understanding of Fallen is not complete." The white raven said as she interfaced with the communication system. As Horst and Spirit watched, the line of unintelligible symbols were slowly replaced with more understandable words. Hope translated slowly, and there were a few times when a word changed. But after a few moments, the message was displayed for both Guardians to read.

 _We are seekers of the Light. Do not attack, or you shall be destroyed. Our mission is vital. WE ARE THE LAST._ There were a few symbols that Hope couldn't translate, their meaning not found in her database. Variks had been generous in his donation, but it was difficult to transcribe a language in all of its tenses, especially for one Eliksni. After a few seconds of unchanging text, Hope fluttered her ceramic feathers and cocked her head.

"That's the best I can do. I'm fairly certain that this translation is correct." The raven said with a flutter. "At any rate, it's the gist of their message." Spirit rolled her fingers across the flight controls nervously. Something was very wrong about this House. They issued warnings, held their fire when not engaged, and did not appear the same ragtag crew as usual Houses. It felt too much like the House of Kings: their movements were too deliberate, too disciplined for the Fallen.

"Do you have enough for a response?" Sending a message that was worded poorly wasn't her concern; sending a message with the wrong meaning was far more dangerous. If the message she sent was misconstrued, a war could break out over a miscommunication. And they had enough battles to fight without a few more so far away from home.

"I can get some basic ideas across. Don't expect me to compose a poem though." Hope's hesitation did not go unnoticed, but there was too much potential to be wasted here. This rare House, with all their oddities and strange behavior, could pose a link to Fallen culture unseen by Guardians. Perhaps even show what the Eliksni once were before the Whirlwind that destroyed their people.

"Send this message, as clear as you can make it. 'We are not hostile. We protect our people. We are the Light.'". It sounded corny and cliché, but these ideals were not difficult to grasp, and hopefully not hard to translate either. A few more titters and clicks, and the transcribed message was sent through the open communication. While the Fallen processed whether or not to blow the _Infinite Sky_ apart, another incessant beeping came from her comm system. Stop blasting ships out of the sky for five minutes, and suddenly you're the most popular person in orbit, it would seem. Keeping Horst on the channel, Spirit swiped the next one on line as well. Curiously enough, it was Professor Ozpin. The wizened Headmaster looked a little more ragged than usual, his hair starting to rebel against what order the shaggy professor did impart upon it. His eyes were lidded, and bags were starting to form under those weary orbs.

 _"Spirit, how are things going up there?"_ The Headmaster asked, his fingers steepled in front of him to reinforce the air of authority around him, though Spirit could tell that recent events had stressed Ozpin beyond his usual trials. Spirit shrugged her shoulders and lowered the power draw on her engines, giving them time to cool from the maneuvers earlier and to show the Fallen that she wasn't planning on strafing them. With an effective language barrier in the way, actions were speaking far louder than words.

"Well, the shooting's stopped for the moment. We've finally got some names for these Fallen Houses. The House of Giants and the House of Scars. The Giants are an enigma, but we've seen the Scars before. One of theirs, Taniks, tried to steal Hive secrets on the moon a few months back. Horst and I reconfigured his anatomy, but he was one tough son of a bitch." Spirit explained, and Horst shook his head on his screen. That had been an understatement; the Kell candidate had nearly killed Horst, and chasing him through his Ketch had proven more than challenging. The bastard had even left a spider tank in their path.

 _"Is there any indication about what they want on Remnant? I haven't seen any reports of raiding parties besides those JNPR and RWBY are handling at the moment. What exactly are we dealing with?"_ The question was one she hadn't quite answered herself, but there were enough leads to go off of.

"Yang called in earlier, and we received some transmissions. Apparently, the House of Giants 'seek the Light'; and the fact that they came here cannot be a coincidence. And the House of Scars have it out for a Giants in a bad way." Yang's message had been brief, and there had been a lot of grunting and gunfire in the background, but the young brawler had brought Spirit up to speed on the fight with Baron Chaviks and the appearance of the Giants' Captain. Blake and Yang's strange new abilities had been brought up as well, but the commotion of the battlefield had prevented the blonde from elaborating further.

 _"You said that the Fallen homeworld fell during the 'Whirlwind', and that they seek something called the Great Machine. Could that be the Traveler?"_ Horst nodded at the Headmaster's theory and looked downward, most likely at his terminal.

 _"Spirit, I'm getting a call from Ruby. I'll sort them out while you fill Ozpin in."_ Without anything further, Horst's face blipped away from her screen. She kept an eye on his ship's position, but remained focused on the Ketch in front of her.

"You're not the first to come up with that theory, and there are a lot of Guardians that believe the same. What Fallen records and accounts of the Whirlwind that we can find indicate that the Great Machine had brought the Fallen into a Golden Age, and had provided numerous benefits that catapulted their culture forward. It sounds very much like the Traveler, but then we must ask this: why did the Traveler forsake the Fallen, but give its own life for us?" Ozpin scratched his chin as she explained. "That's not exactly proof by any stretch of the imagination, but that question has troubled some of our leadership for a great deal of time. Many Fallen seek the Traveler, and it seems this House is old school. They seek the Light, but they do not reek of Darkness. It's very strange."

 _"I see. In any case, it would seem that these Giants are on a greater calling, while the Scars are merely pirates. That being said, I fear those with a cause more than those without. A mission can make an enemy far more deadly than a whim."_ Ozpin got that one right. But calling the Scars mere pirates was akin to calling a tiger a cat. A gross understatement.

I'm afraid we won't make any headway with the House of Giants until we find a better interpreter." Spirit said with a sigh. "Our Ghosts can roughly translate their language, but there is still a chance of miscommunication. The only Fallen that I know that is friendly is too important for the Reef to just give up." A gleam crept past the Headmaster's tired facade, and he allowed a sly smirk to cross his face.

 _"I'm working on something for that at the moment. In the meantime, watch for further hostilities from either of the two Houses. When you can, break off and head to these coordinates. I've sent team CRDL ahead to secure an ancient Golden Age transfer gate, one that could facilitate faster travel between Earth and Remnant. We'll need a Ghost's guidance, but for now the team will suffice. If we can get it active, at the very least we will have a form of communication."_ Ozpin replied as he sipped his tea. _"I know it's a bit much to interrupt a battle in orbit, but Mr. Winchester and the others will need assistance in activating the Gateway."_

Spirit had been so preoccupied with the Fallen that she had forgotten the Gateway system. From what Blake and Horst had told her, the new Ghosts for Blake, Yang, and JNPR had come from the Gateway activation, though they did not find this out until Switch had decoded a delayed transmission from Cayde. The Hunter Vanguard had implied in his message that they were refining the delivery system, but the fact that he was being secretive meant that the rest of the Vanguard (*cough* Zavala *cough*) weren't aware or didn't approve of his plan.

"Wait, what do you mean you're working on an interpreter?"

* * *

"Of all the insubordinate-" THWACK!

"Ow."

"-Disgraceful-" SMACK!

"Oof!"

"-RECKLESS things you've done, this is by far the WORST-" CLUNK!

"Argh!"

"-that you have EVER conceived!" Zavala took a deep breath; not to calm himself, oh no, but to prepare for another savage punch directly into Cayde's face. The Hunter normally would have danced ever so frustratingly out of Zavala's reach, had he not been tied up and swinging from the ceiling like an Exo pinata. Cayde wriggled in his prison futilely, even as Zavala reared back and decked him again. The Exo was sent swinging backward from the impact, wincing in pain from the blow as he was flung around the spinning room. Over near the doorway, Holiday and Ikora watched the proceedings with amused expressions on their faces.

"Oh come on, we took ever precaution!" Cayde defended, swinging past Zavala as the Commander paced in fury. "We took the power from off of the grid, and we chose an abandoned site just in case the Vex tried something funny. And wouldn't you know, it worked!" The defiant declaration did nothing for Cayde's health, as he received another haymaker that sent him spinning around again. Oh Traveler, if this kept up he'd find out whether or not Exos could puke.

"You opened an unauthorized portal using VEX TECHNOLOGY in the middle of the CITY!" Zavala roared, pacing again as he shook with fury. "You shut down a weapons foundry! You went behind my back! And you DELIBERATELY recruited other members of the Tower and the City to help you! This is mutiny, if nothing else!" Yeah, the Commander was pretty mad about things. After the blackout that followed their Gateway activation, City security forces had quickly located Holiday and Cayde and brought them back to the Tower. Upon entering the war room, Holiday had immediately blamed Cayde for masterminding the plan, and sat back and watched as Zavala had his way with the Hunter.

The betrayed look on Cayde's face had been so worth the irritation earlier.

"Okay, look. We've got a big recruitment opportunity here. You and I both know it. Not to mention the benefit of having direct access to our only confirmed allies in the galaxy. I also seem to recall that this is the same planet that you sent Oryx trotting off to by giving the mission to Spirit and Horst." Cayde tried to bargain. "If anything, we owe these people a few Ghosts and some supplies for sending a Hive God their way."

"Why are you so inclined to whittle our resources away on a planet full of people that aren't even our allies yet?" Zavala demanded. "The Awoken are more like us than those on Remnant, and the Queen has been evicting us from the Reef for years. How can you expect us to trust those who would alienate their own even in the face of annihilation?!"

Cayde rolled his eyes and tensed, working his abdomen and rolling his shoulders forward as he tried to control his own momentum. After a few meager swings, the Exo finally worked up enough energy to swing toward Zavala as the Commander continued to stalk around the room.

"Why are you-" Swing, swing. "-so distrustful of a people-" Swing, grunt, swing. "-that could lead to our salvation?" Cayde got enough momentum going to where you didn't have to try as hard, swaying across the room like a cloaked pendulum. "These Huntsmen and their abilities, the fact that they have survived against the Darkness without the Traveler for thousands of years, how can you not see the benefit in that?"

"Is the payoff so great that you would endanger everyone so readily?" Zavala countered. "They have traitors among them even now, and this White Fang, these well armed criminals; opening a portal to their world offers these malcontents a chance to step into our territory. Just one spy would undo months of work, and put a strain on the Guardians already felt by the advent of the Taken. How can this possibly be worth the risk?"

Cayde opened his mouth to respond, but then he hesitated. Silence reigned as the Hunter struggled to construct some form of argument that would sway his colleague. But it was only now that the Exo's carefree approach to the problem, his optimistic way of pushing forward regardless of the risks, had finally stabbed him in the back.

"I have a response to that, Commander." Salvation came in the form of Ikora Rey, with Holiday at her side. "If this endeavor was half as hopeless as you presented it, Magnus and Cipher would not have succeeded in obtaining the Gateway components. And I can assure you, our Harbormaster would not pursue a fruitless venture without regard for safety or security. Gilded Cayde's tongue may be, but not even he can remove reason from Ms. Holiday." Zavala's brow furrowed in confusion, not realizing that Ikora had sided with Cayde since the beginning. Still, to hear the argument from a party that had not disregarded his every order and protocol made him slightly more sympathetic to the idea.

"That's right." Holiday drawled, crossing her arms and giving the Hunter a sidelong glance. "I may be willin' to take risks, but no one likes a wolf in the house. I wasn't going to put something together without some sort of fail-safe." She gave Cayde a wink, and it suddenly dawned on him why the power had terminated when they had used the Gateway.

"You set it up to close as soon as something passed through." The Exo said in wonder, not realizing just how cautious the Tex Mechanica designer had been. He and Zavala shared a look, and it seemed the Titan Commander had not thought of her precaution either. They had both been duped.

"Give this a chance, Z." Holiday requested with an extended hand. "Clovis Bray had all kinds of things planned for this system. Security clearance, off-world identification, not to mention a defensive iris that could stop a Gate Lord from passing through. We're standing on the shoulders of giants here, Commander, and I think we can take the next step." Ikora nodded with a small smile. His last line of defense, that woman. And she had supported it from the start.

"We know nothing about these Gateways, except that they work similarly to the Vex network." Zavala turned away from his pinata of a partner, leaving Cayde to swing idly as the Commander faced the two women. "It has worked one time, so far as we know. Hell, we've got no way of knowing for certain that it DID work. For all we know, Cayde sent seven Ghosts into oblivion and wasted precious resources building a giant paperweight." The blue tinted Awoken grasped his temple in frustration, the urge to start pummeling Cayde again welling up with a vengeance.

There was a shuffle of cloth and cord, and suddenly Cayde was standing right next to him. Zavala looked up in surprise, his shock temporarily overriding his anger. The bonds that he had snugly tied Cayde up in lay in a neat pile next to them, disconnected from the ceiling. He'd never even heard the Hunter move.

"You could escape this whole time?" The Commander asked incredulously. Cayde just smiled sheepishly and shrugged, grasping his jaw and moving the metal pieces around with a faint clicking noise. Despite taking the blows willingly, a graduated apprentice of Lord Saladin was not one to just shrug a punch off from. Zavala had crushed far too many spines in his day to hit like a prepubescent teenager.

"You're easier to deal with after you've blown off some steam. That, and you've punched me before. You weren't hitting me full force." Cayde clapped his fellow Vanguard on the shoulder. "Which means deep down you think there's a chance that this will work. I know it, you know, and they know it. We can do this. Besides," the Exo tapped the side of his nose panel, "we've got an ace in the hole."

Commander Zavala had made multiple tough decisions in his life. Who to sacrifice, who to save, determining whether or not an objective was worth the lives it required to hold. Those kind of decisions were expected of him, as ultimately the leader of the Vanguard and the Tower's Guardians. It did not make them easy, or give excuse for a hasty choice. And here he was presented one of the most difficult choices he had ever made, outside of the roar of battle and split decisions. Zavala closed his eyes and sighed heavily, and Cayde knew what he was going to say before the Commander opened his eyes again.

"Fine. But I want to know everything you have going on this. I'm giving you one shot, and if it goes wrong then I'm tearing that Gateway down piece by piece. Understand?" Zavala felt less like a military commander and more like a lecturing parent allowing his child to get away with something, all the way down to the finger he wagged at Cayde. The effect worsened when the Hunter looked fit to jump for joy.

"This is a major breakthrough, Zavala. You'll see, this is gonna pay dividends. Just wait." Cayde called up his Ghost, Wager, and grinned widely when the Ghost appeared in his hand. "Wager, have Doctor McKay report to the Gateway site by 1200 hours. Tell him to bring a power source just in case the Gateway on Remnant is too depleted for more than one trip. I need to see the Speaker."

Cayde turned around so quickly that his cloak twirled through the air, taking off so quickly that Ikora and Zavala didn't have a chance to stop him. The Awoken and his Warlock companion watched at the third part of the Vanguard damn near skipped out of the war room, and Zavala could only shake his head and sigh heavily. Holiday pushed off of the wall and followed Cayde out, blowing a bright pink bubble as her gum smacked.

"I'll go make sure McKay doesn't get too big for his britches and does everything right. He tends to get carried away when he thinks he's the smartest person in the room." Zavala nodded and rubbed the bridge of his nose, nudging Cayde's discarded bonds on the floor with his foot.

"I appreciate your caution with this matter, Holiday. It's good to know that _someone_ considers the risks involved in this venture." Holiday didn't reply, but simply winked and walked out, climbing the stairs with her hands in her pockets. Ikora smirked as Zavala stooped down and began collecting the cords of nylon that he had used to string Cayde up, useless though they had been.

"Amazing when an idea like this gets past the Wall." She commented, causing Zavala to pause with the nylon wrapped around his forearm. Ikora shrugged off his glare, and the Titan resumed collecting the cord until all of it was wrapped neatly around his forearm. His Ghost transmatted the material away once it was collected, and Zavala turned to face the war table with his hands behind his back. No holographic displays danced across the table, the Sun's rays streaming in from the window behind him. The light brought some slight warmth to his head, but it wasn't enough to curb his encroaching melancholy.

"Am I so unapproachable that my own friends and colleagues must go behind my back to get things done?" Some, but not all of the heat in his voice was directed at Ikora. The rest he reserved for himself. Even so, the woman walked around to her usual spot at the other end of the table, thumbing through a book absently.

"Your loyalty to the City and your position in the Vanguard is without question, Commander. We know that you will fight until your last breath to defend humanity. Unfortunately, the uncompromising positions that you take with our enemies are sometimes extended to our friends as well." She gestured toward the door where Holiday and Cayde had exited. "There is no promise that this plan will work without complications, and your concern is valid. But those two may have just found a way to hasten our victory over the Darkness." Ikora leaned over the table and pushed a datapad across its surface, the little holographic device coming to a sudden stop underneath Zavala's armored gauntlet.

The Commander picked up the datapad and powered it up, and the hand held device projected the last file to be viewed on its database. A still image of Ruby Rose, Horst's most promising student, took up the entirety of the screen. The young girl – Traveler, they were all so young – clutched at her Ghost above the corpse of a massive scorpion, her small form on a cliff edge with the giant creature below her, already curling into its death throes. Zavala had seen the vid several times, with Horst's young team fighting the immense arachnid with skills and abilities that rivaled some of the greatest Warlocks, Titans, and Hunters of legend. And they were only children.

This was the planet they had discovered. These people, with their thriving culture and stout defenses against the forces of Darkness, primal and savage as they were. And Zavala had sent the Taken King in their direction for a few months of relative peace. His conscience had fueled his next decision, though now he saw the folly of only sending two Guardians. Cayde and Ikora had been so busy with their secret Gateway, they had not noticed that Zavala himself was scheming as well. Eris Morn was discrete in her dealings, and she held a grudge against the Hive that Zavala had been happy to exploit.

"Had I known that I would be agreeing to this reckless plan, I would have directed Horst and Spirit to interdict the Dreadnought." Zavala said with a sigh. "Instead, Magnus and Cipher-10 are chasing it down. Eris Morn provided them with the tools and knowledge necessary to bring down the Taken King."

Ikora blinked several times in response, surprised at Horst's sudden attack of morality. She had not given blessing to the Commander's decision to send the two surviving Hivebane to Remnant once it was discovered that Oryx was in the in the system for revenge. It had been an underhanded and cowardly tactic in her opinion, but Cayde's Gateway system had turned things around and allowed for a tactical advantage against the Taken if used correctly.

"I had no idea that two Guardians were capable of regicide." The Warlock said icily, sincerely hoping that Zavala had not sent the two veteran Guardians to their deaths. Zavala nodded solemnly and ran another head across his smooth, blue-tinted scalp.

"It is no true killing. Oryx's corporeal form is vulnerable, but Eris informed me that even should he be killed in this world, he would return to the Ascendant Realm and regain his power. Magnus and Cipher's mission is no assasination, but a delaying tactic. With only the most elite Hive able to commune with their King, the enemy will be slowed in their dealings. It's the best we can do until a final assault can be undertaken." Eris had also told him that the Echoes of Oryx, shadowy apparitions that carried out Oryx's will while mimicking his form, would still be able to command the Taken. The presence of the Taken would be diminished, but not removed until Oryx and every last Echo was destroyed.

"Does that mean he is not as powerful here as he is in the Ascendant Realm?" Ikora asked, wondering if one of the two Guardians was about to die for nothing.

"Eris did not say. But we can hope."

* * *

Atlas was located far into the northern parts of Remnant, and much of its climate was ruled by icy glaciers and frozen stone. As such, the crew of the _Black Lagoon_ and team CRDL had dressed much more warmly. Cardin wore a heavy brown cloak that wrapped around his shoulders and fastened to his armor, imprisoning his body heat and turning the young team leader into a walking microwave. Russell had forgone his rough biker look in favor of a heavy hooded jacket, and thicker pants that provided better insulation. An orange beanie and a pair of gold tinted goggles protected Dove from the biting cold, and Sky was so wrapped up in his coat and scarf that his eyes and blue hair were the only things visible.

The only member of Lagoon Company to be leaving the torpedo boat, Revy was clad in thick brown boots, a black set of tight thermal bottoms, a crimson skirt, a black turtleneck sweater, and a brown coat lined with fur. Cardin and Revy's weapons were able to be stored inside of their garments due to Cardin's cloak and the small size of Revy's guns, but the others were forced to carry their weapons drawn due to the cumbersome nature of their clothing.

The coordinates that Ozpin had provided were thankfully close to the coatline of Mantle, and it seemed that they were headed for the early settlement of the same name. According to Dutch, the people of Mantle had come north to escape roving bands of raiders and the more populated Grimm areas, and the cold climate had done well to cull both problems. There were still some Grimm that had acclimated to the arctic weather, but for the most part starvation and hypothermia presented the biggest threat to the early settlers. Mantle's choice as a settlement was mysterious at first: there were no obvious advantages to the local area that were not present elsewhere, and the Atlesian council were very hush hush on their previous capital's history. Atlas, however, was known for two things: cold weather, and advanced technology. Many had attributed the Atlesian affinity for technology to the lack Grimm, allowing for their people to better focus on weapon and communication research. Ozpin, however, had proposed a different theory that was starting to make a lot more sense.

"You think the early Atlesians discovered Guardian technology." Cardin said incredulously, and Russell snorted at the prospect. The four Huntsmen in training were in the crew bay with Benny, who had laid out the information before them. With Dutch at the helm and Revy watching over Rock's failing health, it came down to the blonde guy in a tropical shirt to lay down the knowledge.

"It's been a conspiracy theory for some time now, but the recent discovery that aliens actually exist AND they inhabited this planet have called the theory back into question. Until now, Atlas' success and technological superiority have been credited to the fact that no Grimm have been trying to eat them while they researched. Given the location of the Gateway and its relative closeness to Mantle, it's possible that Atlas is the way it is today thanks to the discovery of Golden Age technology, as Ozpin put it." Benny continued with a shrug. Before them on the table, a map of the Kingdom of Atlas was rolled out for the four to see, with the city of Atlas and the North Pole within a few dozen miles of each other. Mantle was marked much closer to the rest of Remnant, close to the southern tip of the continent.

"If something that poweful and important was discovered, why not pack it up and bring it with them to Atlas?" Cardin asked, crossing his arms and frowning. "The Atlesian council is way more paranoid than the one in Vale, and their military could do it pretty easily."

Benny shrugged. "Who knows? If you ask any Atlesian citizen why they were so successful, many of them with say they just got lucky. Even as insular as their military is, I don't think Genereal Ironwood and his like could keep something like that quiet for long. And besides, if you're the only one that knows where something is, you don't have to worry about hiding it. That and the Gateway's reported size and power requirements, I'd say that it was something discovered, but never used. There may be some things missing when we get there, but I doubt our prize up and walked off to Atlas." Benny left his map lying on the table, and turned to look out one of the portholes on the starboard side. Outside, several floating icebergs slowly drifted by, some of them dwarfing the _Black Lagoon_ in size.

"If that is true, Mistral and Vacuo would flip if they found out." Dove added, his goggles up on his beanie to reveal his narrowed eyes. "The Vytal Festival's right around the corner, and we're finding out things that could lead to another Great War." The shortest member of team CRDL set his sword down on the table, allowing him to stretch his arms up into the air and lean back. After a few satisfying pops, Dove let his hands fall to his sides.

"If we started waving our arms around screaming about alien ruins in Mantle, do you really think anyone would believe us?" Sky said snarkily, and Dove glared at him.

"I'm not saying we should! I just think it's ironic that we're finding all this out now. The timing could be pretty bad." Dove retorted, and snatched his sword off of the table before Russell could nab it. Being the shortest of the group, Dove often found himself picked on by Sky and Russell, though that had dropped off slightly since Professor Horst's instruction. Cardin watched his teammates bicker about, and shook his head decisively.

"None of that matters if we don't find what we're looking for. You're all forgetting that even though there are few reported Grimm sightings near Mantle, no one's heard from them in years. People don't just die out after surviving for generations. We may have to fight something that wiped out a whole settlement of people." The mace wielder grinned wickedly at the prospect. "Can you imagine how awesome we'd be for killing some hundred year old monster?"

Sky and Dove exchanged uneasy looks, and Russell coughed awkwardly. "Ya know, Cardin," the mohawked Hunstman said hesitantly. "Usually hundred year old monsters are really hard to kill. And maybe there's more than one." Russell's face became a mask of fear. "What if there are hundreds in Mantle now that there's no one to kill them off?"

"Then we kill them all and send Atlas the bill. Now get ready and put your game faces on!" Cardin growled aggressively, slamming his hands down on the table for emphasis. "Professor Horst and Headmaster Ozpin are counting on us to get this done. And they aren't the only ones." With that last sentence, he turned and looked toward the hatch that lead down into the hold. The cargo hold led down towards the aft of the vehicle, near the engines. Whenever they were working, the Lagoon Company stored their transported goods down in the hold. Right now, however, the _Black Lagoon's_ sole cargo was team CRDL and their mission. As such, the cargo hold had been converted to a mobile triage unit. It's sole patient was the Lagoon Company's negotiator and interpreter, Rock. With a nurse like Revy, it was amazing he wasn't dead already. Ozpin had hinted that the crew of the _Black Lagoon_ were helping in order to provide care for their injured crewman, but Cardin had heard the story and seen the wound. The poor guy was on borrowed time.

 _"Hate to bust up this thrilling conversation, but you kids may want to get ready."_ Dutch's smooth voice came over the intercom, directly above Dove's head. Benny didn't even wince at the volume, but Dove's already narrow eyes squinted even harder as he covered his ears. _"Benny boy, it's time to get Revy out of the hold. We may need her guns."_

* * *

RWBY and JNPR were picked up by Horst, a quick fly by that lasted just long enough for the teams to be transmatted out of the forest before the _Iron Symphony_ jetted off into space. According to Horst's telemetry, no more Skiffs had been launched from the House of Scars, and their Ketch had moved deeper into the solar system toward Remnant's star. The House of Giants had not moved from their place in Remnant's orbit, though a few of their Skiffs flew around the Ketch for repairs and diagnostics. From Spirit's reports on the subject, not a single Servitor had been seen. One more oddity about the already incredibly unique House of Giants, at any rate.

Now that things were handled on the ground, Ruby watched as Remnant moved slowly by as Horst crept toward the northern hemisphere. Despite their public announcement, Atlas had not quite considered the Guardians to be unquestionable allies. General Ironwood's influence was far reaching, but the politics of an aristocracy like Atlas did not allow for certainty when it came to his decisions. As such, Horst flew low and slow by jumpship standards, and they were making decent progress as the sun dropped lower in the sky. Ruby sat in the co-pilot seat, her hands on the controls more out of boredom than actually participating. Horst had things well in hand, and the weapons locks were still on. Behind her, the rest of the crew were strapped in along the bulkheads. Black and Yang were seated by themselves, while JNPR and Weiss sat on the other side. As Horst flew, his helmet absent, a holographic screen appeared to his left. Both he and Ruby turned to look, and they were both surprised to see Dutch's face appear on screen.

 _"Salutations, Titan. Are you guys on your way yet?"_ The boat captain asked with an easy grin. Ruby waved from her position behind Horst, and the scarred Titan nodded.

"We just left Vale not long ago, and we're approaching Mantle now. How are things on the ground?"

Dutch fixed his glasses and his grin faded slightly.

 _"Revy and team CRDL went in to the ruins roughly twenty minutes ago. Unfortunately, the ice walls and the old fortifications tore up our reception. They've tried to check in at five minute intervals, but all we've gotten is broken transmissions and static. As soon as you get here, might want to head in."_ According to Ozpin and Oobleck, the settlement of Mantle was chosen due to its isolation and the thick ice walls that hid the area from view. Scrolls were dependent on the CCT system, but even within range of Atlas' tower, communication within such a space would be spotty at best. It didn't allay Horst's fears, but he wasn't going to get worked up until a situation arose.

"How's Mr. Rock doing?" Weiss' question came from behind them, but Dutch heard it all the same. They could tell as his coutenance hardened.

 _"He's not well. It's a good thing Revy went with the team...I really don't think he'll live through the night."_ Dutch rubbed the bridge of his nose, a flash of white eyes appearing momentarily as his glasses shifted before returning to their natural place. _"Rock's as tough as a business man can be, but that wound has taken a lot out of him. If Ozpin's lying about doing any good for him, I can't guarantee Two Hands won't burn down Vale."_ The admission wasn't given lightly; Ruby remembered how Revy had been when they'd met the Lagoon Company. Incredibly hostile and distant, and that was when they hadn't been responsible for Rock's condition. If Revy felt that her partner's fate was ultimately Ozpin's fault, Horst would likely have no choice but to take her down. The prospect didn't excite him in the least.

"If I didn't know what he was offering, I'd be worried. But this Gateway system will directly link us back to Earth. When that happens, there are plenty of Ghosts that will find new Guardians. I have every confidence that Rock will fall under that category." Horst reassured the ship captain. "His sense of what is right placed him in this position, and fighting against overwhelming odds is a very attractive trait when you're fighting a war that has lasted for centuries."

 _"You guys are looking for warriors, though. Rock is a shrewd, fast talking business man who could sell ice to Atlesians. But he is no warrior. Hell, he's afraid to handle a gun even against Grimm."_ Dutch said in disbelief. Horst chuckled and shook his head.

"Not all wars are fought with weapons, Dutch. And he's got heart. I know he'll be chosen. Besides, we may be tipping the scales in his favor anyway. Ghosts have an ideal Guardian in mind when they seek out their partners, but considering they have every noticable dead person to choose from, more than one candidate will present themselves. If the Speaker talks up a worthy Guardian candidate, the Ghost will usually follow along. In the times that it hasn't, the candidate was pretty foul anyway." There were also plenty of Guardians that didn't deserve Ghosts, but that went without saying. Dredgen Yor, for example, had been a legend in the Crucible. The lure of power and the corruption of Thorn led him to betray and murder several Guardians before he was taken down.

 _"And you think that Rock will pass inspection?"_ Dutch cocked a brow. _"Excuse my doubt, but I'll wait until I see it. It any case-"_ A burst of static on Dutch's end interrupted him, and the boat captain raised a headset to his ear.

 _"Revy, is that you? You're early checking in."_ Another distorted burst of chatter came over the speaker, too quiet and garbled for the Guardians to hear, and Dutch's temples flexed as he leaned forward.

 _"What?! What do you mean, overrun? Get back to the Lagoon, now!"_ Whatever the response was, it didn't improve Dutch's mood. He threw the headset down in frustration and looked back at the scroll.

 _"I don't know what's going on in there, Horst, but you guys need to get here fast. Revy's saying something about walking corpses! I can't leave the boat undefended with Benny and Rock here, so it's up to your team to back up the others. I'll be manning the Deuce until you get here."_ The screen shifted as Dutch stood from his chair, before winking to black as the connection terminated.

Ruby and Horst shared a worried look, and the reaper held up her hand to summon Summer. The crimson rose appeared above Ruby's hand, and she looked around at the Guardians around her.

"Summer, I need you to dig up a map of Mantle, and display it for us. See if you can get something recent, and around the area where Cardin and the others went in." Ruby requested, and her Ghost spun in the air as she began processing the information.

"I'll have it in just a moment." Summer replied. As the Ghost began searching the files made available by the CCT, secure or not, Horst pushed the throttle forward and sent the _Iron Symphony_ climbing up into the thinner atmosphere. Moving at a higher speed would alert the Atlesian military, so he was forced to climb to a height where hopefully their instruments were less reliable. Behind Ruby and Horst, Jaune scratched the back of his head.

"Uh, did he say walking corpses? Like zombies?" Jaune's voice was hesitant, not quite fearful so much as disbelieving. Yang outright snorted in derision, earning her a flat look from Blake.

"Pfft. There's no such thing a zombies, Jaune. That's for games and movies." She shrugged within her safety harness. "It was probably a garbled transmission." The Grimm and their ilk had been on Remnant since humanity could recall, and while weird was in their MO, zombies were still a work of fiction. The Hive were a close comparison by the Guardians' recollection, but walking corpses and Thrall were two very different things. The Hive were dead, by most descriptions of the word, but they didn't look very human.

"Whatever it was, Cardin and the others are in trouble. If this place was a settlement for early Atlesians, there has to be more than one entrance." Blake countered, focusing more on the problem and less on the zombie discussion. Across from Yang and Blake, Ren hummed before offering a reluctant shake of the head.

"Not necessarily. With how isolated and insulated the settlement was, it's also likely that it had few entrances carved into the ice. They didn't need to venture out so much as tunnel downward. And even if there are multiple entrances, we have no idea how large the place is. We could wander for days before we found them, and their scrolls are to weak to broadcast their location." He pointed out, and Pyrrha nodded in reluctant agreement. Just as the ninja finished speaking, however, a small blip came from Summer, and the rose shaped Ghost projected a rough hologram of the complex the Gateway was housed in, along with projected routes from Mantle.

It was not small.

At the top, or perhaps ground level was the more accurate term, three broad paths were cut through the ice and snow to accommodate overland trade. The settlement was about a fifth of the size of Vale's capital city, but the underground complex that they had discovered and later inhabited was far larger. Four angled paths, measured and carefully crafted as opposed to the rough and irregular tunnels dug from above, gave the first clues of where Golden Age construction began. Once the first fifty feet was fathomed, everything was gemoetrical and preplanned. Halls and atriums filled the complex, and judging by the scale, several thousand people could comfortably live there. The hologram only picked up the vague shape of each room and the borders of each wall and ceiling, but the underground facility was so massive that housing was not a concern.

Ruby could imagine delight and wonder felt by those explorers that first found the complex, the joy in discovering the remains of a lost civilization that could help them survive the harsh and unforgiving continent of Mantle. But why had it been kept a secret? How far did the deception go? The Atlesian government – the military in particular – wielded some of the most advanced technologies on the planet, and there were many similarities between Atlas tech and Guardian weapons. How much of it was borrowed, and how much was theory?

"That is a big facility. Not quite a war mind bunker, but closer to the Ishtar Academy, or maybe the research facilities on Mars." Horst said with an appreciative whistle. A blinking marker on the display indicated that they were approaching their destination, even as the clouds beneath them rushed by. As they approached, Horst slowed their speed and angled the _Iron Symphony_ downward, the bow of the ship warming at the edges as they reentered the atmosphere. The clouds rushed past the viewport, blinding them from conventional navigation as the viewport was bathed in a wispy white cloud. The jumpship shook with turbulence as the air itself fought against the _Iron Symphony_ , and Jaune's face turned a queasy green as his lunch threatened to make an appearance.

Once the clouds parted, a glacial wasteland became visible below: sheer cliffs of ice and rock separated the icy plateau of Mantle from the ocean below. A jagged path, worn from use prior to Atlas' founding, emerged from a small inlet where the glacier had given way. Even from the height that the _Iron Symphony_ descended from, Ruby and Horst could barely see the _Black Lagoon_ sitting in the small alcove.

They could see weapons fire coming from it too. Even as Horst leveled the ship out, another display appeared next to Ruby that showed a magnified view of the boat, and Dutch in the turret as he had said. The man was firing a large machine gun into the side of the plateau, likely where an entrance into the complex was located. And judging by the hatred he was spewing, whatever had given CRDL trouble had come for him as well.

"Alright team, get ready!" Ruby shouted toward the back, abandoning the co-pilot seat with a twirl of her cloak as Summer dematerialized. Horst let the _Iron Symphony's_ automatic flight control take over and stood as well, placing his helmet onto his head as he rose. In the crew back, JNPR and the rest of RWBY removed their restraints as the ship slowed to a deployable speed. Horst took a knee in the center of the crew bay, and everyone else gathered around him.

"We haven't heard from Cardin and his team since they went in, so be careful." Horst instructed in a no-nonsense tone. "Dutch can point us to their original entry point, and we have the same nav beacon that they were following. So it goes without saying that they are somewhere between our target and the entrance. We'll move together, but if it looks like they didn't make it to the Gateway, JNPR will split off and find CRDL. Any questions?"

"If we find Cardin's team before we find the Gateway, should we focus on searching, or clearing out whatever's attacking?" Jaune asked. Horst thought about it for a moment, then shrugged.

"If we're lucky enough for that, volunteers can clear the complex as we search. But we should stay in two man teams at the minimum. With the _Iron Symphony_ here, our Ghosts' signals will be strong enough to maintain contact. Once you find one of the objectives, radio in and we can decide from there. If you find anything strange or too much to handle, fall back and call us in. Resurrection may be a thing now, but we have to find you to bring you back. Don't get cocky." The assembled team nodded in agreement, and Ruby stood up first.

"Don't forget guys, we're trying to take over this place and use it later. Don't go breaking everything." She reminded, and a choked sob came from Nora. The serial booper's face was one of total disappointment, borderline depression as her shoulders sagged.

"B-b-b-but I like to break stuff..." She said with a weak sniffle, and Ren patted her on the back consolingly. Horst and Pyrrha shook their heads in exasperation, and together the team stood up.

"Get in there, find Cardin, and find the Gateway." Horst reminded, drawing Chimera from his back even as the weapon materialized in a shower of Glimmer. "Anything tries to stop you, kill it."

With that, all nine Guardians vanished from the crew bay, their Ghosts working in tandem with the _Iron Symphony_ to transmat them all at once. When they landed, the biting cold of Mantle was the first thing Ruby noticed. Even with her undersuit, the reaper involuntarily shivered as a bracing wind came off of the ocean and nipped at the warmth in her body. Behind her, Blake clung to Yang like an invalid, allowing the bemused brawler to provide enough heat to keep both of them warm. Weiss didn't seem affected in the slightest, having grown up in Atlas' frigid weather long before she'd ever attended Beacon. Jaune's teeth chattered as he rolled his shoulders, trying to generate enough heat for his undersuit to retain it, and Pyrrha just tucked her chin and strode forward.

They'd landed on top of the cliff, looking down into the inlet where Dutch continued to fire in controlled bursts, sending large caliber rounds biting into what looked like a small cave system at the base of the plateau. The entrance was a little wider thanks to his ammunition, but what exactly he had been shooting had yet to appear.

"Let's get down there." Horst said calmly, his voice echoing in their heads thanks to the Ghosts. As their hair whipped about their reddened cheeks and numbed ears, the members of JNPR and RWBY suddenly understood why their teacher wore a helmet everywhere he went. The cold wasn't fazing him in the slightest.

 _Lucky bastard._ They all thought, more or less. Still, haste made heat, and they had a mission to do. Nora and Yang didn't drop so much as leap out into the void, the wind flapping Yang's hair all over the place as she and Nora angled their descent toward a sturdy bank on the near side of the inlet. Ren, Jaune, Blake, and Pyrrha just shook their heads and dropped, sliding down the sheer cliff of ice and slowing their fall by finding little imperfections in the ice face, bouncing to and fro until the last jump was enough for them to handle. Weiss simply wave her fingers through the air and concentrated, and soon a path of white glyphs appeared for her to descend like an astral staircase. She did so with some haste, though she didn't expend near as much energy as the others had.

That just left Ruby and Horst at the top of the cliff, watching the rest of the team land as Dutch's fire dwindled. Either the boat captain was running low on ammo, or the targets were giving up. Horst turned and looked at Ruby, and the reaper squinted as a particularly harsh gust of wind blew snow and sleet into her face.

"Have you figured out the jump yet?" Horst asked, his voice clear in her head despite the howling wind. Ruby shook her head; she hadn't quite mastered the Guardian training that Spirit had offered. Apparently, every class of Guardian had a way to improve their vertical movement, be it a glide, a Lift like Horst used, or even jumping more than once. Sadly, they hadn't had much time to practice.

"Well, follow along as best you can. You can do that rose thing, right? Try that." Without waiting for a reply, Horst stepped off of the cliff and dropped. Ruby watched the Titan fall nearly fifty meters, his arms out to balance himself and prevent a tumble. When the ground was ten meters away, his form lit up as she had seen numerous times, and his descent slowed immensely. The Titan came to a near stop inches above the ground, and released his Lift to drop naturally like nothing had ever happened. What a showoff.

"Alright, here goes nothing. GO TEAM RWBY!" The reaper crowed, and she dove off of the cliff, directed headfirst toward the ground below. The wind whipped and scratched at her face, but she still kept an eye open to guide her fall. Her cloak flapped crazily in the wind, going this way and that almost as if it had a mind of its own and was trying to tear itself from Ruby's back. Just as she got the sense that the ground was rapidly approaching – more spatial awareness than sight, since the wind was blowing enough ice into her face to freeze her eyeballs – Ruby spun rapidly. As Horst and the others watched, she disappeared into a spinning vortex of red rose petals, the conglomeration defying the scathing wind as it dove down to the ground. Just before the rose storm impacted with the ground, Ruby reappeared, taking form from a majority of the roses, and letting the rest scatter in the wind.

With everyone on the ground, they began moving towards the _Black Lagoon_ , which had been moored to the bitter remains of an ancient dock. Harsh weather, ice shifts, and the deadly passage of time had reduced a once sizable port into a single serviceable dock surrounded by wreckage. Even with the remaining posts rotting away, Dutch had elected to embed a secondary anchor point in the ice on the other side, just in case the dock gaveway while they were there. Said captain leaned back in the turret well, the brief flash of a cigarette illuminating his face for a brief moment.

"You guys sure took your time. I was beginning to think I needed to go after them myself." He more or less yelled over the wind. The bald man jumped down from his turret and walked across the deck of the _Lagoon_ , resting his foot on the nearest torpedo launcher as Horst approached.

"Where's Revy and CRDL? Earlier you said that they were fighting walking corpses." Horst had no incredulity to hide in his voice; dead bodies walking and clawing weren't hard to believe once you've killed a Hive God. They made being undead a lifestyle. Dutch took another draw on his cigarettes, cupping his hands around the little white roll of paper to preserve its flame.

"They went inside about three hours ago. Revy checked in every fifteen minutes, give or take, but after the first hour they got too deep for me to understand anything. After that, the only way I knew they were still alive was because the transmissions were happening, even if I couldn't understand them. You were watching when I received their last call." Dutch reported. Horst shook his head slowly and looked toward the cave, pondering their next move. Blake and Yang were already probing the entrance, examining the large bullet holes Dutch had left in his wake and the piles of dissolving Darkness his victims had left behind. That confirmed at least one theory: the Grimm were behind the attack.

"I'm guessing you can't go in with us, with Rock and Benny as they are." Horst pointed out. "Keep watch on the cave entrance, we'll go find Revy and the rest of the students." With that, Horst turned and raised Chimera over his head.

"Guardians! Sweep and clear, stick together and keep an eye our for our missing comrades. Let's get moving!" With that, Yang and Blake nodded and led the way into the cave system. JNPR followed close behind with Jaune and Pyrrha in front, and Weiss and Ruby picked up the rear. Horst was the last to enter, though he heard the parting farewell from Dutch.

"Good luck, you bunch!" He called as he crossed his arms, his bare skin starting to feel the bite of the cold. "You're gonna need it..."

Not even a few seconds after Dutch uttered those words, a soul shattering howl echoed from the depths of the complex.


	24. Chapter 24

Much thanks to Mac-The-Editor and Shad0wReaper133 for the constructive feedback. Sometimes, everything tumbles out, and my cursory preview before publishing doesn't catch everything. Now, for everyone who guessed Hive... well, you'll have to see won't you?

* * *

 **Chapter 24**

Cardin panted heavily, the exertion of swinging his flanged mace starting to wear on his endurance. Normally, the largest member of team CRDL had no trouble swinging for days, but this was no normal mission. The dark, dimly lit passageway he found himself in still echoed with Revy's gunfire, though he had no way of knowing where the gunslinger was. Hell, he hadn't seen Dove or Sky for the past four minutes. Russell's quiet breathing could be heard beside him, though it was so dark that he could barely see the hooded rogue.

Everything had gone to Hell once they'd entered the underground complex. The cave they'd found leading into the side of the cliff had saved them the arduous journey of climbing to the top of the plateau. The unfortunate downside, however, was quickly discovered fifty meters in. Whatever had happened to the buried city, some great force or blast had carved a rough path all the way out to the coast. As such, even though they had a straight shot into the Golden Age facility, the path they were forced to take was shrouded in darkness. Dove and Sky had been hesitant to push forward, but Cardin took the lead brashly, charging ahead into the darkness with his cloak flapping behind them. Revy had brooked no complaint for their hesitation, and delivered a solid kick into Russell's butt.

 _"If you nancies are done being afraid of the dark, we've got a mission to complete. Now move it!"_ The Gunslinger's ill mood provided just enough motivation to get the rest of the team going, though they were fleeing her more than following Cardin. After the ice and rock gave way to destroyed metal and scorched, broken concrete, there were a few lights still functional. The large tunnel had given way to a long, hexagonal hallway that was approximately seven feet in height and twice that in width, and every twenty feet or so a dim red light cast an eerie glow in the darkness. A sealed door with strange, geometrical markings sat at the immediate right of the hallway, but fallen debris and damage from whatever had blasted out of the complex prevented its use. Further down the other end of the hallway, along the path of destruction, another strange hatch sat at the end, with a blinking green light next to it. Somehow thousands of years after the original builders had been wiped out, and several hundred years after the Atlesian people had departed, there was still power in the facility.

After that, they had pushed deeper into the futuristic ruin. Looking back, Cardin should have seen the signs. The shadows had been restless as the team had crept through the dilapidated facility. Certain doors wouldn't yield, lacking the necessary power to open. As such, they were forced to continue along a single path, and CRDL plus one found themselves in a large, dark room with sheer, dirty white walls that climbed up toward a ceiling they couldn't see. In the center of the room, ancient scorch marks surrounded a crumbling pedestal, one with several fixtures that implied a weapon or attachment had once been there. Whatever had dealt the damage, there was no sign of the source now. Cardin speculated that it had been some kind of weapons testing facility, considering the gaping hole and the construction of the room. Their footsteps and whispered words had echoed far further than Cardin ever wanted them to. Revy had expressed disappointment in missing out on a weapon that could do the damage they had seen. For some reason, Cardin was glad she never found it.

After the testing room, things started to get weird. Doors that blinked green as they approached turned red and died just as Cardin or Revy got close enough to open them. Several of the strange hexagonal hallways lost their emergency lighting just as the team passed through them, casting them into total darkness until the five could fumble through to the other side. And there was always the feeling that something was watching them.

They should have destroyed the corpses. Had Cardin known then what he knew now, every collection of bones and dusty armor would have been crushed beyond recognition by his mace. The long decayed bodies of ancient humans were scattered all over the larger hallways, and there were several data centers where they appeared to have gathered in their last moments. Whatever the warriors of the Golden Age were called, since Guardians apparently hadn't existed then, they were everywhere. Once well fitted suits of armor now hung slack on dried, decayed bags of bone, all muscle and sinew gone from the passage and ravages of time. Hollow skulls glared lifelessly from within shattered helmets, and the team could feel their stares. At first, Revy had paid no mind whatsoever to the corpses, urging the team to move on and find the Gateway.

 _"Don't spend too much time wondering about how they died. Dead is dead, and there's nothing you can do about it. Keep moving, and don't wind up like the rest of these stiffs."_ The bodies held an abject fascination from Sky and Russell's points of view. The two trainees peered curiously into the empty helmet slots and picked at the armor that time had rendered useless long ago. Cardin and Dove didn't approach the bodies at all, Cardin because there was no point and Dove because he wanted nothing to do with dead bodies. After hearing the third helmet drop from a propped up dead body, CRDL's escorting gunslinger finally lost her shit and snapped at the two curious members of the team. A few scathing expletives from Revy later, and Sky and Russell were keeping their hands to themselves.

The two's curiosity turned out to be a boon in disguise when the team hit their first dead end that wasn't a hallway. A cramped server room, packed with servers and cables that crawled into the ceiling to run all over the facility, yielded nothing in their search for the Gateway. After they had searched around in near darkness, looking for a light switch if nothing else, Revy had ruled that they turn back and look for another path. Upon returning from the server room, Russell had pointed out that one of the bodies was missing. Revy and Dove found it hard to believe, until Cardin traced his finger along the dusty circle where the body had been crumpled against the wall.

After that, everything happened fast. One second their eyes were straining in the darkness, the next several glowing orbs appeared and stared back. After the initial fright, the orbs resolved into bone masks and hissing spectres, and soon the entire dark wall became a mass of dancing skulls. That creepy, foreboding feeling they had been enduring since the beginning was finally realized: they had been stalked. Professor Port had covered Grimm in detail, but the Geist was mysterious on its own. Not much was known about the strange creature, except that they liked to possess inanimate objects and attack people with them. The near total darkness had shielded the Grimm from detection, and soon nearly twenty of the ghastly Grimm had appeared. Revy's guns were out and whittling down the number to eighteen before Cardin could even draw mace, and the flash of her shots made it easy to anticipate the Geists' sweeping claws. The base was largely connected and shaped, with very little natural resources for the Geists to take advantage of. The more cultivated and processed the material, the more difficult it was for the Geists to take control of it.

So they chose the bodies.

The rattle of bones and a shaky moan came from behind where CRDL had backed up, using a wall to make sure that the Grimm didn't flank them. Up against that wall was the slumped form of a long dead human, its armor still somewhat intact. Dove slashed and fired at Geist with his sword, but the ghastly creature dove over the shortest member of the team and slipped behind them. When the Grimm's semi-corporeal form wrapped around the bones, the creature covered the body completely, and then sucked itself into the armor like a piece of cloth into a vacuum cleaner. As Dove watched in horror while his comrades continued to fight, the body stood up for the first time in millennia, and its bones were covered by the black miasma that every Geist exuded. The armor filled out and a serrated bone axe came to the corpse's right hand. The worst part was the face: the half helmet that remained after whatever brutal attack had ended the man's life in the years prior revealed an eye slit and an opening for a jaw. The eyes glowed crimson red, and the jaw opened to reveal only darkness and teeth within. As soon as the corpse's mouth opened, an unearthly howl that shook them to their very core issued from the creature. As the party struggled to face this new apparition, its Grimm brethren echoed the dreadful screech to the point that all the team could do was cover their ears.

After that, the light went out, and all Cardin could remember was running.

"Cardin, what should we do?" Russell asked timidly, not terribly eager to stray away from the relative comfort of his team leader. Cardin's size and bravado had proven to keep him alive so far, barring the incident with Jaune Arc and the Ursa last semester. Unfortunately, CRDL's team leader was not quick in his response.

"We...we're here to complete the mission. We have to find the others, but the Gateway is why we're here. If we don't find that, everything else was for nothing." Cardin managed to ground out, his reluctant fear keeping on his toes. Right now, they were in the corner of some room deeper in the complex. At some point in time they had gone down deeper into the facility, but honestly he couldn't remember the way back. Were the others on another level, or up another floor? What had happened to Revy?

Cardin could hear the subtle hiss of another Geist controlled corpse heading their way, and he and Russell turned to face it with weapons raised. The pounding in his ears did little to ease Cardin's racing heart, and his hands grew damp within his gloves from the sweat. They were separated, lost, and surrounded by the enemy. This was not how a team leader was suppose to handle his team, his friends.

As the two watched, a torn glove wrapped around the edge of the door frame, the door itself locked open long ago. Cardin and Russell could both see the faint shine of bone in the dim red light, and hear the growing hiss as the Grimm neared its prey. They had run like cowards, and as such the Grimm were drinking in their fear, their uncertainty, and their anger. Cardin hefted his mace and prepared to swing, waiting for the helmeted skull to show itself so he could bash it into oblivion.

When it finally did, Cardin almost over swung with his weapon. The flanged mace that he carried everywhere smashed all the way through the possessed corpse's head. The Geist inside, too taken by surprise to dodge, was destroyed as well as Cardin's mace destroyed everything within the helmet. With none of the spectral energy remaining to keep the armor moving, the corpse resumed its natural place on the floor with a loud clatter of metal and bone. Cardin and Russell stared at the pile of parts and remains for some time, both breathing heavily from the stress of the situation. After a few moments to regain his composure, Cardin snorted and kicked the stack of bones, sending pieces flying into the darkness. As the remains clattering around, more hissing could be heard from further down the hallway.

"You know, I'm starting to regret not bringing a flashlight." The fact that Russell was able to joke meant that things weren't completely hopeless. That being said, the glowing fiery eyes of more possessed corpses meant that it was time to go. Cardin and Russell bolted for the only other door in the room, sprinting down another hallway as it hissed open. Hopefully, they'd find the power... or maybe even a way out.

* * *

When Horst and the new Guardians found the testing chamber that CRDL had discovered hours prior, there wasn't a single light on in the facility. Luckily, Ghosts made handy flashlights if nothing else. Since Jaune and Pyrrha led the way with their shields up and swords at the ready, it was Bastion and Victory that provided the light. To see a miniature burning horse casting an orange light all over the hall in front of them was really quite the sight.

Summer and Spark brought up the rear with Horst, Ruby and Yang remaining in the back because Ruby wasn't entirely efficient in close quarters and Yang was more than capable of picking up the slack. If they were attacked, Ruby's big sister would provide enough cover for the reaper to get clear and use her scythe properly. Once they got out into the wider areas it wasn't a problem, but a six foot long scythe was not useful in cramped caves. Horst could provide protection as well, but it was up to his protege to figure out her own defensive strategy.

With Spark out and casting a light, however, the gathered Guardians were forced to deal with his quite sardonic attitude.

"Looks like no one's paid the light bill in a few hundred years." The miniature soldier snarked. Horst growled at the sound, and the others rolled their eyes at his need to talk.

"Spark, we're trying to be quiet. Stop talking." Yang told her Ghost, bopping him on his tiny head as the Ghost struggled to hold off her hand. His light bobbed all over the area, painting walls and floors with dancing shadows as he whirled around to face his Guardian.

"Oh I'm sorry, were we trying to sneak up on the shadows with bright flashlights? Or how about the sound of nine people in armor? Because that's _real_ quiet." The Ghost made a snorting sound. "Besides, if CRDL is still down here, they'll come running for any sound or light we make. The more we stand out, the better."

"Show some respect, little light." Horst chided in a none too gentle tone. "Two different civilizations died down here. It's best to leave the corpses where they lie." It would be against Horst's normal 'stone wall' mentality to simply tell Spark to shut up, but they were approaching that line. Once it was crossed, Yang would be figuring out Ghost maintenance pretty quickly.

They passed through several hallways, the doors locked open, and had entered a large atrium of some sorts. A massive square shaft, maybe a lift of some sort, filled the center of the room. Along the sides of the shaft, ramps led upward toward the settlement as well as downward, deeper into the facility. There was no sign of CRDL or Revy, though the open doors provided a clue. The group stopped in the atrium for a some time, Jaune and Ren lingering in the area of the lower ramp while Blake and Weiss investigated a locked door at the far side of the atrium.

"Oh, did I offend the dead guys?" Spark asked rhetorically, and swept his light around in a slow circle. The large area came to light slowly, his searching beam revealing segments of the room before again returning it to darkness. "I'm sorry, dead guys. Whatever killed you was probably really terrible, and I should let you get back to- what was that?" Whatever smart comment Spark was going to doom himself with died before he could finish it. Instead, he focused his light into a brighter, more narrow cone as he focused on one of the far walls, near a squared column that hid a corner of the room from view. Just as he had panned his light around in his sarcastic fit, something had moved away from the column.

"What was what?" Came Horst's attentive reply, the senior Guardian already angled toward the column in question. Beside him, Yang and Ruby readied themselves, the large area more than accommodating for Crescent Rose.

"Over behind that column. Something moved when I stopped shining my light on it." Spark's attitude was gone now, instead focused on the strange occurrence. Ren, Jaune, and Nora circled around from the far side of the shaft while Weiss, Blake, and Pyrrha approached from nearby. Horst and Yang slowly crept toward the column, Yang edging toward the left while Horst slowly angled around to the right. Each kept their eyes trained on the column, waiting to leap into action as soon as they caught the first sign of aggression. As the two worked their way around, however, the only thing that gleamed in the light of four Ghosts was a drawn, desiccated corpse. The armor it wore seemed like basic Guardian gear, though what it looked like in its prime took some imagination. As best Yang could tell, it looked like a SWAT or special forces outfit, a mix of armor plates and rotten, decaying fibers. Too much armor for many Huntsmen, and too little for a Guardian. Beneath the green-brown rust and withered cloth, gray skin stretched across white bone, bacteria and the passage of time leaving a gleaming ivory skull and several exposed bones in the arms and legs.

When the two saw nothing but the corpse, they relaxed immediately, Yang letting her hands fall to her sides while Horst swung Chimera onto his back once more. The others gathered around behind them, though Ruby stood watch to make sure nothing snuck up on them while they examined the body. When Yang was certain tht the only thing in the corner was the body, she turned and looked at her Ghost with a skeptical expression.

"You afraid of the dark or something, Sparky? There's nothing here but Bones-R-Us over there." The blonde chided. Spark held up his hands defensively, and his tone reflected his irritation.

"Look, humans and Faunus record experiences in memory and are subject to many stresses that can alter perception. Ghosts record everything we see. So no, I'm not scared, and I really did see something. Watch." Spark spread his arms out in front of him, and a small holographic screen appeared in front of him. While the Ghost worked to display the video for Yang, Blake and Weiss took a few steps closer to the corpse while JNPR and Horst wandered away from the corner. Jaune and the rest of his team moved toward the other door, the blonde knight turning his head quizzically to listen at the functioning door. A modicum of power, a blinking red light more than anything, indicated that the door was still functional and there was still _some_ power in the facility. But the blonde could faintly hear... swearing?

"...fuckmothering pieces of shadowy corpse fucking CHICKEN SHIT GHOST HIPPIE ASSHOLES!" The whirlwind of bleeding wounds, foul mouth, and gunsmoke that was Revy plowed through the door, tripping over the bottom hatch as it hissed into the floor. Jaune, being the poor and unlucky person that he was, was the closest thing to the door. As such, a pissed off and bleeding gunslinger tripped headfirst into the team leader, and the two of them toppled to the floor in a heap of tangled limbs with a surprised yelp and a few more unitelligible curses. Horst and Ruby stepped over toward the struggling two, Revy attempting to get out from under Jaune while the blonde tried to get up. From where Ruby could see, both of Revy's prized pistols were out of ammunition, slides locked back as they were clutched in her iron grip. One of the guns was pointed to the side, as she held her wrist to her right shoulder, where blood sheeted down her arm in a curtain of scarlet.

Horst decided to alleviate the situation before Jaune got pummeled or Revy got tired. The Titan wrapped his large hand around the rear of Jaune's armor plate, his fingers sliding between the blonde's neck and his undersuit. With a firm grip, Horst lifted his student off of the gunslinger easily, leaving Revy bleeding on the ground with a petulant snarl on her face. Jaune nodded worlessly in thanks.

"Revy, what happened? Are you alright?" Horst asked, his calm demeanor unfazed as he lifted Jaune away from the snarling bundle of blood and bullets that was Lagoon Company's best gunman. She swiped at Jaune one more time, like a cat with a toy that was out of reach, before grimacing and covering her arm once more.

"We found out why no one lives in Mantle anymore." She ground out through gritted teeth, cursing quietly as she sat up. More blood sheeted down her arm, and a few wayward strands laced through her fingers. "This place is a Geist nest. A whole swarm of the fuckers came at us. When the main horde showed up, the lights went out and the students ran. Probably for the best anyway." It was not bitter optimism, but rather a cold cynic tone that escaped the woman. "It's easier when I don't have to choose which targets to shoot."

Horst looked down at her pistols and noticed that they were locked open, and a fighter like Two Hands wouldn't leave her guns empty if she could help it. The gunslinger had run completely out of ammo.

"I don't understand though, Geists are semi-corporeal." Weiss thought out loud in a puzzled tone. "Unless you're a Huntress, there'd be no point in shooting ghosts." Revy was many things, but a Huntress wasn't one of them. She didn't have an active aura, and as such her weapons only bore the merit of whatever lead and Dust she could put into them. Because of that, she'd expended all of her ammo, and the cut on her arm wasn't healing very quickly.

"Tch. I wasn't firing at the Geists in the air, princess. The ones on the ground took enough ammo as it was." With Jaune off of her and retreating a safe distance away, Revy stood up and her full form could be see. In addition to the deep gash on her left arm, several smaller cuts on her legs and along her ribs added to the woman's plight. That and her empty guns made the choice long before Horst ever considered it. He stepped a little bit closer, both to examine her wounds more closely and to position himself for what he was about to do.

"Do you have any idea where Cardin and the others are? Did you find the Gateway?" Revy looked up at him and almost gave him a snarl, if her curled lip was any indicator. But she relented, and tossed the thumb of her wounded arm towards the lower levels.

"Whatever is here is going to be further down, Gateway or any other Guardian bullshit. The big one and the mohawk kid took off that way if I heard right. The squinty kid and blue boy were somewhere deeper in the area I just came from." Revy heft her empty pistols in emphasis. "Watch the bodies. Whatever stiff dead guys you see, the Geists are hijacking corpses. It's turning int a regular House of the Dead in here."

"I see." Horst turned to one side as if he were considering something, one hand at his side while the other rubbed the chin of his helmet. "In that case, you need to go back to the _Lagoon_." As he expected, Revy bristled and stepped closer, her hand coming away from her wounded arm and shoving the empty pistol's barrel in front of his faceplate.

"FUCK THAT. I'm here to complete the mission, not get fucking babied like I'm one of your pansy ass students. If you think I'm just gonna sit on my ass while Rock-" The gunslinger would have gotten farther into her tirade, had Horst not sunk his fist into her gut. Already wounded and not expecting the strike from a goody-two-shoes like Horst, the blow knocked the wind out of Revy's body, and the follow up elbow to the back of her head forced the gunslinger to the ground, out cold before her face hit the floor. While Horst knelt down and checked the woman's pulse, his finger dipping in at her ear, Jaune and Pyrrha looked on in horror.

"What did you do that for?" The blonde squeaked, his voice hiking up an octave as he reeled from the sudden brutal act that the professor had carried out, and Pyrrha seemed just as disturbed.

"What did she do to deserve that?" The redhead asked, stepped back as Horst lifted Revy up in a bridal carry, taking care to return her empty Cutlass to their holsters one at a time. Once he had her comfortable, Horst turned the single light of his helmet toward the two students.

"When we last met, she was fiercely protective her teammate, who is dying on board the _Black Lagoon_. Ozpin promised her a cure for his condition upon completion of the mission. There's no way I could convince her to voluntarily go back to the boat. Without ammunition and with no aura to heal her wounds, she's a liability." He walked over to Pyrrha and Jaune. "Now, if you two would kindly escort her back to her boat, and get back here as quickly as possible. I feel like we're going to be fighting a lot of..."

Horst looked back toward the old body in the corner, where Yang was watching playback from Spark's recollection. Blake stood back apprehensively from the corpse, Shadow out at her shoulder casting a bright light upon the armored body as she watched it apprehensively. Ruby was poking it with the tip of Crescent Rose's blade, causing a light clicking of metal on metal. It refused to move.

"Hurry and get her back. We'll probably be busy when you return." Horst advised the pair, and reached up to remove Chimera from his back. Jaune and Pyrrha exchanged a look, but then took an arm each from Horst and looped them around their shoulders. Revy went from horizontal to vertical quickly, her legs dragging behind as her head lolled around on her shoulders. Between the two fighters, Revy's slight weight was nothing, and soon they were out into the hall and heading for the port.

Across the room, Yang looked up from Spark's recording and motioned toward the Ghost as Horst walked up.

"Sparky's right. That dead dude's helmet pops up when he's scanning the room. When we went back, it was gone." Yang scratched her cheek in confusion. "But most Grimm attack when you walk up on them. We've been poking this one for a few minutes, and the body hasn't moved." Behind her, on the other side of the column, Ruby continued examining the ancient armor the skeleton wore, while Blake stayed away from the corpse as far as she dared without leaving Ruby alone with the thing. Normally the inquisitive type, Blake's golden eyes were locked onto the corpse, and she had no interest in the ancient ruins they stood in. Another worrying sign, Horst noted.

"We didn't hear anything besides our own echoes when we came in. If it did move, it did so silently. Let me see the picture." Horst stepped forward, and Spark turned to him with his small arms still held outward. In perfect clarity, with no motion blur or anything, an image of the helmeted skull stood out in the light created by Spark's gaze. Eerily enough, the skull's only visible eye socket gleamed with a crimson eye, a burning orb that glared out from the darkness. When Spark advanced the video at normal speed, the helmet disappeared.

"Well that's creepy." Horst muttered dryly, and Yang nodded in agreement. Together, the two walked around the column to where Ruby and Blake were watching over the corpse. Ruby had gotten bored with poking it, but she couldn't shake the uncomfortable feeling she got when she looked at the thing. It was like the skeleton was waiting for them all to turn around.

"We know it's possessed, and it has been listening to us the whole time. Why hasn't it attacked?" Blake asked calmly, though she remained vigilant in her watch on the desiccated corpse. Ruby and Yang were creeped out by it, but Blake in particular watched the creature like a hawk. She had not fallen for its ruse from the start.

"Geists are ambush predators, more often than not. Without any natural resources to take advantage of, its probably playing opossum until we leave it alone." Weiss supplied, standing well away from the possessed body. Ren and Nora shared her disgust with the creature, and all three were on the far side of the elevator shaft. Horst cocked his head as he examined the body, waiting for it to do...well, anything. Ancient Grimm were reportedly very smart. Even if it didn't understand their language, the fact that they weren't taking their eyes off of the creature meant that they were onto it.

What WAS it waiting for?

"It doesn't have a shadow." Blake pointed out, her finger casting a dark silhouette of its own across the seated figure. Behind her, Switch and Spark appeared at Horst and Yang's sides, and together along with Shadow, the three Ghosts shone their lights upon the Geist's host body. With three light sources beaming down upon it, the armored corpse should have had three different shadows of varied intensity, like three different shades of blake overlaid at its edges on the wall. Instead, only light flooded the area around the corpse, with no shade to be found.

"It's...hiding the shadows?" Yang asked incredulously, bringing Ember Celica up to bear. Even as she did, Blake and Ruby drew their weapons as well. A strange sense of foreboding, some primal instinct sent alarm flooding through their veins. A faint hissing sound could be heard, like sand creeping across glass, could be heard at the edges of the room. Despite the intensity of the Ghosts' lights, darkness crept toward the Grimm carrier, flickering around like a failing flashlight. Ruby looked up at Summer's beam, and found that it was not the strength of the light that was suffering, but the darkness was...growing.

"Students..." Before Horst could finish his cautionary warning, the Darkness – capital D, no longer just the absence of light but a tangible force – took shape, and a spectral arm half the size of a Bullhead dropship took form. It was alien: a bony ridge following the forearm and a jagged spike extending past the elbow. A thick, meaty forearm extended out into a muscled fist, and ivory claws indicative of Grimm sliced through the air – before clenching into a tight fist.

Just as Horst could even raise Chimera in defense, the shadowed arm slammed into him like a truck, sending the Titan flying with a pained grunt. Ruby and Yang ducked as their mentor flew past them, impacting into the metal wall opposite of the room with enough force to dent the barrier and cause the entire room to shake. Every living occupant in the room – RWBY and the remaining members of JNPR – watched in horror as Horst's sword fell from his limp fingers, the senior Guardian undeniably unconscious. A vicious snarl echoed throughout the room, and the Darkness came alive even more – armored corpses with insidious, glowing red eyes emerged from every doorway and hall. The hollow, muted clicks of bony armored feet echoed in the encroaching Darkness, a death march that was made even worse by the lack of light. Beyond the paltry candles that the Ghosts cast into the encroaching Darkness – Orchid, Flake, and Mjolnir had been quick to lend their lights to fight the oncoming oblivion – eerie glowing eyes gleamed hungrily. RWBY gathered together next to the pillar, facing outward in a basic defensive formation.

"Guys, Professor Horst is down!" Blake informed, though even with her exceptional night vision, the Titan was nowhere to be found. She glanced in the direction he had been sent flying into, but not even the eyes of a Faunus could penetrate the all-encompassing Darkness.

"He'll be fine. Right now, we need to focus on that thing." Yang's tone wasn't dismissive, but her aura flared up brightly enough to briefly illuminate the creature she spoke of. In front of them, coalescing around the corpse they had found like a protective outer skeleton. The telltale white bone of the Grimm formed a coccoon around the corpse, before quickly being shielded from view by a smokey, obscuring cloud of flesh and miasma. A muscled chest connected to the arm as another formed, and quickly disappeared from view as the wispy cloak covered the creature's entire form. A human skull several times larger than normal took its place atop the broad shoulders of the creature, before that too was shrouded in an obscuring hood that revealed nothing but an empty void, staring back at the Guardians with all the judgment of death itself. It looked like a Grimm Reaper, if there was a scythe involved. However, the scholars at Beacon had another name for this creature.

"Revenant." Weiss breathed in disbelief from her place next to Ruby, both of them stepping back as the large creature stretched its newly formed arms, displaying its long reach and showing just how much danger they were in. Their scant knowledge of Revenant's had not come from Professor Port, who had never encountered such a rare creature, but rather Professor Goodwitch after a lengthy training session. The blonde witch had been succinct in her description: big, shadowy, and tied to a host body. With the Revenant's savage claws and arm length, they'd be rent in two within seconds if the creature ever caught them off guard. And the room full of Geists looked to provide such a costly distraction.

"Guys, we have to do something!" Ruby yelled insistently over the creeping Darkness, the rattle and rustle of corpses and Geists putting strain to her words. "Until Jaune and Pyrrha get back, we're on our own!" A few daring Geists swooped down toward her even as she said that, but Crescent Rose bisected the two Grimm before they could ghost away. Ruby followed through on the movement and held her precious scythe behind her, ready to swing even as the fallen creatures dissipated into nothing. The fall of two of their brethren did nothing to give the rest pause, and a warning hiss issued forth from the Revenant's hood. It was clear that this was going to be their chief obstacle in finding Cardin's team and activating the Gateway.

Another clatter of metal, this one deeper and more forceful, drew the attention of the team as an armor clad corpse scattered through the air, coming upward from the elevator shaft. A second clang attracted a few Geists to the shaft, and their curiosity was met with a pair of daggers that split each of the Grimm masks. As they dissolved into nothingness, a shadowed figure with a distinct mohawk snatched the blades out of the air before they could fall to the ground. As he landed in a crouch, Ruby was more than glad to see that it was none other than Russell, one of the wayward members of team CRDL. Russell tossed Ruby a grateful smirk, but before she could ask him where the others were, another possessed suit of armor was scattered across the ceiling.

"Geez, Cardin. Watch the fireworks!" The mohawked student complained as he took up position next to Ruby, sliding into a crouch before holding his daggers out from his body. Weiss' finger danced through the air as more Geists rushed to block Cardin's ascent from deeper in the facility. Four of the crowded the top of the stairs, the ebony claws extended and ready to eviscerate the young Hunstman in training. When Cardin appeared at the top of the steps, however, a golden glyph appeared beneath his feet.

The Geists struck as one, their already long fingers lengthening into spears as they lanced toward the young man. Cardin saw them coming; he couldn't have missed them really. But as the golden aura covered his armored form, the team leader smirked and charged forward. Instead of impaling him with their spear-like appendages, the Geists' instead screeched in agony as their striking fingers broke into dust upon contact with Cardin's protective coating. Reeling from the pain of damaging their bodies, the four Grimm were no match for Cardin as he jumped into the air.

Cardin's mace cleaved straight through two of the Geists with no effort. The third to receive a blow from his mace withstood enough of the energy to stop his swing, though it too crumbled into nothing. Using the momentum from his third victim, Cardin folded over the dying Geist and focused on the last remaining stunned Geist. A rolling heel strike, bringing his feet back down toward the ground in the process, slammed the Geist into the ground with frightening force. Touching the aura of Light that Weiss had provided had robbed the Grimm of its phasing ability, and the bag of shadows shrieked in pain as the impact further damaged its precious mask. The shriek was then painfully silenced when Cardin landed in it mace down, the head of his flanged weapon crushing the Grimm into oblivion.

"Cardin, what took you so long? The party is about to start!" Yang shouted with a savage grin, her strange flames already increasing in intensity as she geared up for the fight. The flames burned ever hotter and brightened the room even more. The Geists flew away from the blonde young woman, the searing flames too much for them to handle. For the team, however, it felt like they were sitting beside a crackling fire, not standing in the same room as a living inferno. The only Grimm that didn't seem bothered was the Revenant, though the creature did float backwards a little bit as Yang's sunspot forced the circling Grimm back. The cloud of Geists even drew back away from where Horst had fallen, though the senior Guardian still remained motionless. At the very least, Yang's burning atmosphere seemed to have attracted the attention of every creature in the room.

"Alright everybody!" Yang crowed as she flexed her arms, reveling in the insane energy that poured from her fire. "First one to take down the big guy wins! Place your bets!"

The Revenant hissed in response, and the gathered Grimm took that as a cue to attack. Though hesitant to approach the flaming blonde, the surrounding Geists began circling like a typhoon, a swirling vortex of black cloth, wisps of smoke, and bone masks that clammored for the Guardians' flesh. The first to descend fell upon Nora, and her hammer destroyed it entirely with one swing. Once the first one was down, the rest fell like Death itself.

* * *

Not many Guardians return from dark space. Out there in the in-between, the dark, empty areas of the galaxy devoid of stars, planets, or any other celestial body. A black hole could destroy your ship long before you ever realized that it was there. Stray comets that jump between galaxies could plaster you and all your friends all over the universe without warning. Sensors only pick up the vaguest of readings, unless you find a pocket of radiation that chews through your shields and renders your entire craft an irradiated death zone.

And yet, the Dreadnought cruised through dark space like a boat on the water. At first, it had been nearly impossible to locate considering the vast expanse of emptiness outside of the solar system. Had it not been for the Cabal ship that was still lodged in Oryx's giant craft, Cipher and Magnus would have never been able to find the immense Dreadnought.

Their jumpships crossed outside the eccretion disk into dark space shortly after Cayde's attempt with the Gateway. They received news of the attempt through a poorly received message from Ikora Rey, but after that all contact with the Tower was lost. Cipher had made the suggestion to turn back in case the Gateway worked, but Magnus disagreed. If something happened on Remnant's side of things and the Gateway never opened, Oryx would reach the unprotected planet and wipe out any chance of the Guardians receiving reinforcements in this long, bloody war. It was surprisingly well thought out for a Titan that thought being sneaky meant killing all witnesses. _No one will notice if there's no one to notice._ In reality, Magnus just wanted the prestige and challenge of attacking the Taken King within his own fortress.

The hull breach left behind by the Cabal charging the Dreadnought with their own ship was still a viable entry point, though two Guardian ships flying in caused a lot of activity to focus on their position. As soon as Magnus and Cipher transmatted onto the Dreadnought, a veritable wall of projectiles was hurled at them from the many Hive and Taken defenders. If they had simply chosen to assault the Dreadnought and take it by force, the two would have been stuck at the landing zone for hours. However, Ikora Rey and Eris Morn had provided them with the means to take the fight directly to Oryx – albeit on his terms.

Magnus fired another burst from his auto rifle, the Righteous VII, and stitched several rounds into a Knight's face with great precision. The Hive warrior's head exploded in a fountain of Light, and his explosive grenade launcher pointed downward with a last twitch of the fingers. The Knight and several Acolytes that had been supporting him disappeared in a flash of Arc Light, their bodies dancing with lightning before disappearing into nothingness. Had there been atmosphere, Magnus knew it would have smelled of ozone.

"We have to get to the Breach." Cipher reminded urgently as he stuffed another magazine into his intricately carved hand cannon, the Last Word. The gold and black revolver had been passed down from Guardian to Guardian, each wielder promising to relinquish the weapon once their grudge was settled. Some inherited the weapon upon the death of the previous owner, but no debt to a Guardian that carried the Last Word went unpaid.

"I know, Cipher. Let me work, and I'll get us an opening." Magnus snarled, though his hostility was focused toward his foes. The bent and warped beams and columns that made of the Dreadnought's superstructure made for good cover, but the volume of fire coming from beyond and above them proved to be too much for the two Guardians to do more than take pot shots at their foes.

True to his nature, Magnus' gauntlets began to steam and smoke as the ambient water vapor made contact with the armor. The Sunbreaker continued to reload and fire as if nothing was happening, but Cipher could feel the Titan's Light pulsing and growing, a torch against the Darkness before them that slowly grew into a furnace. Cipher lobbed a Storm Grenade into a pack of entrenched Acolytes huddled in a rent corridor beneath the crashed Cabal ship, turning their cover against them as a portable storm cloud shocked them into oblivion. When he turned back and looked at Magnus again, all vapor on the Sunbreaker's armor began to mist around him, and his Iron Banner armor began glowing golden-white at the edges. Magnus tossed his Righteous VII into the air, and Aegis transmatted it out of existence before the rifle could hit the ground. The heat that permeated the area around the Titan lashed out against the surrounding Hive like an angry storm, a wave of blistering torment that made even the Knights and Wizards back off from the two pinned Guardians.

Taking advantage of the heat wave, Cipher dove out from underneath the fallen column he had been using for cover. With most of the defenders blinded by Magnus' fiery wrath, the Warlock was free to Blink up to a better vantage point, and his form vanished in a flash of light before reappearing far above the hull breach. A platform of sorts had been created high above Magnus, likely wreckage from when the Cabal had made their kamikaze charge into the Dreadnought. Regardless of what had created the fortuitious balcony, Cipher had every intention of capitalizing on his superior view. Spinning the Last Word on his finger, Cipher tucked the hand cannon into his robes and removed a rifle, black with golden scope and stock, from his back. Many Guardians had once asked why his sniper rifle looked like a Vex appendage, the rounded carapace that served as furniture around the barrel bearing quite the resemblance to the time walking machines. Cipher never responded. But Praedyth's Revenge was a paradox in itself, and could never be explained in civil conversation.

Magnus watched as some Acolytes and a particularly hardened Wizard shrugged off his heat wave and attempted to approach him, thinking his fiery Light required all of his concentration and thus left him vulnerable to counter attack. The Acolytes sprinted toward him, sacrificing an arm apiece to shield their eyes from the evaporating heat. The Wizard used its dark magic to weaken Magnus' effect on its body, though it could not foil his inferno completely. Eight foolish Hive approached the Titan, weaving in an out of the same twisted columns Magnus and Cipher had been using as cover just moments prior. The Titan did nothing to impede them, but merely stood out in the open, daring them to stand before him within the eye of a fiery hurricane. The air itself, what atmosphere had not escaped, was lighting ablaze, and flashes of fire danced through the air like spirits of flame, writhing snakes of spark and burning intensity appearing for a split second, before dissipating as quickly as they appeared.

The first Acolyte to reach Magnus, or rather come within twenty meters of him, fired its Shredder in an attempt to whittle down the Titan's defenses. The Arc projectiles danced toward Magnus, but before they could reach him the intense heat of his Light burned away the energy rounds to nothing, their charge no match against his burning rage. The Acolyte had no time to consider another strategy, as a round from on high split his head open like an overripe melon. The techno magic of Praedyth's Revenge took hold even before the Acolyte could wither into ashes, and a decent sized explosion blew its companion out into the full force of Magnus' heat wave. With nothing to protect the second Acolyte from the flames, it quickly disintegrated into nothing but a ghost of Darkness, obliterated by the searing heat.

The Wizard itself flew straight toward Magnus, straining against the force of his fire like a demented fish swimming against the current. The Wizard's tattered robes and chitinous armor blackened and tore in the face of his rage as the Titan turned up the heat even further, his Light shining around him like a star in deep space. The fire brought with it a roar like a thousand beasts, and the Wizard's pained screeches as it burned could not be heard over the inferno's rage. The Acolytes that had charged with the doomed Wizard did not advance, but Cipher's markmanship removed their heads from their shoulders even within cover. At the edges of Magnus' hurricane of flames, the rest of Hive burned and screeched as they struggled to retreat, the weak Acolytes and Thralls igniting even as they struggled to get away. The Knights withdrew and surrendered the battlefield, keen on the strategy of living to fight another day.

The Wizard flew ever closer to Magnus, who stoom with his arms raised as he channeled his might into the inferno that blackened the landing zone. All around them, chitin and sand became ash and glass, ancient metal was blackened and scorched, and all organic material was reduced to a black carbon dust that would burn as cinders for one hundred years. Even as her cloak frayed and burned, and her corpse-like skin boiled beyond pain imaginable, the Wizard outstretched a single claw, poised like the tail of a scorpion to strike Magnus' heart. She closed the distance, from three meters, to one and a half, until mere inches separated the Wizard's serrated claw from Magnus' chestplate.

Before the Wizard knew what was happened, Magnus abandoned his ritual-like stance and stepped forward, slamming his gauntleted fist square into her face. The impact dissolved what Darkness held the Wizard together, and she disintegrated into ashes even as his fist carried through. However, the strike also released all control that Magnus had over the ever growing firestorm. The swirling vortex of flames and heat did was all bundled energy does when presented with an opportunity: it detonated.

A wash of blistering heat and searing flames burst outward from Magnus' position, an expanding sphere of fire that rushed toward the walls and ceiling with all the force of a bomb. The blast caused Cipher, even from his perch high above, to cover his optical receptors in the face of such intense light. All remains left by the defeated Hive were blown away by the shockwave that issued forth. The fires consumed everything in front of them, until they were extinguished upon the walls that lead deeper into the Dreadnought.

In the wake of such roaring fury, the silence that loomed afterward was dreadfully heavy. Magnus stood panting in a cracked, blackened ring of charred metal and chitin, his hands on his knees as he struggled to regain his strength. Above him, Cipher scanned the landing zone for any survivors, though he expected to find none. After the Warlock was certain that all Hive had either been killed or had fled, his slung his rifle and gently glided down to where the Titan stood. When Cipher's boots made contact with the blackened floor, a hollow clack that reminded the Warlock of glass or ceramic. He looked around at the ruins left behind in Magnus' wake, and shook his head as the Titan slowly stood to his full height once more.

"You're going to be too tired to face the Taken King if you use a Supernova for every skirmish we have." The Warlock chided needlessly. Magnus snorted and took a deep breath, summoning his auto rifle once more as he surveyed the destruction he had wrought. To see a construct belonging to the Hive, the most ancient and deadly enemy to face the Guardians thus far, brought a swell of pride and satisfaction that Magnus could only find in victorious battle.

"They weren't giving us a lot of options, and we can't stay here forever. It was the quickest way to clear a path." Magnus made his excuses, but Cipher knew better. Discipline had been hammered into Magnus by his master, Lord Saladin, since the young Titan had first come to the Tower. Whenever he had a chance to truly cut loose and show his power, Magnus took every opportunity to reveal the inferno within. It was as if he bottled up all the rage and pain that came with fighting the Darkness and losing dear friends and unleashed all that hatred upon the next enemy to look at him funny. Magnus was calm and methodical 90% of the time, but the other ten percent was all fire and brimstone.

"Clearing a path and conducting regional genocide are two different things." Cipher teased as the two walked toward a damaged hallway, up a hill of sorts and to the left of their entry point. Cobwebs, strange coral-like growths, and dirt filled the winding hallways, and its serpentine construction prevented them from seeing very far into its depth. With no immediate creatures to harrass them, the two Guardians set off at a leisurely pace toward the passageway that lead to the Breach.

"The difference between shooting them all and going 'Nova is that we are walking to the Breach, not running for our lives." Magnus retorted, dropping his half empty magazine and replacing it before returning his Righteous VII to its place on his back. Electricity danced across Cipher's gauntlets as they passed through the threshold of the passage, and entered the darkened halls of Oryx's ship. The blue connections of energy cast flashes of light upon the pallid green walls, reflecting his Arc Light like dusty mirrors as they stamped down dirt compacted long before the first civilization of Earth ever formed.

"That, and you couldn't sprint right now if you wanted to. The Supernova takes a lot out of you, and that's without this infernal ship blocking the Traveler's Light." Cipher's humor had been replaced by genuine caution, though he knew the Titan would ignore it; Titans were born, bred, and trained to be unstoppable forces of nature. To be defeated by your own limitations only showed weakness to those that made up the Wall.

"I'll be rested by the time we meet the King. Quit treating me like a fledgling. A howling wind only makes the fire burn hotter." Magnus dismissed his cautions predictably. Done with that particular topic, since Cipher knew any further line of discussion would warrant more focused aggression from the Sunbreaker, the two entered another large chamber and quickly ascended to a higher platform. Before them, two columns formed a broken arch at the head of a balcony, clearly constructed to create a portal of some kind as the bent columns curled in towards each other. Eris Morn and several scout reports had described this chamber in detail, and apparently the first Guardians to explore the Dreadnought had encountered this strange portal already.

"Do you have the crystal?" Magnus asked gruffly, standing in front of the Breach with his arms crossed. All around them, the faint whispers and chitters of the Hive could be heard. But after Magnus' show of overwhelming force at the landing zone, no creature was brave enough to challenge the two Guardians. Behind him, Cipher reached into his robes and withdrew a small, green chunk of rock. The crystal, jade in color, was round and polished to a mirror sheen, though the sickly green light that exuded from it devoured all reflections that ever danced across its rounded surface. A foul air of corruption and malice hung about the marbled artifact, though Cipher's Light far dwarfed what power the crystal possessed.

At Eris Morn's instruction, Cipher and Magnus had returned to the chamber where the six Hivebane had struck down Crota, Oryx's son and a Hive God. During a death ceremony overseen by the Hive's most powerful enchanters, Cipher had absorbed the last of Crota's essence into the crystal ball he now carried. The following fight had been more than challenging, but by the day's end the two Guardians wielded the key to entering the Ascendant Realm. Every Hive that had stood in their way had been reduced to ashes.

As Cipher held the small keystone upward, he and Magnus both felt the air resonate with a low tone as Crota's essence reacted to the Breach's ancient magics. A dull tone, deep and distant, exploded outward from the breach as a wash of green light flooded the area between the two columns. The Breach was open.

"Lead the way." Cipher was forced to raise his voice as the burning portal exhibited a loud rush of air, likely a byproduct of tearing a hole in the space-time continuum. With Cipher holding the crystal aloft, Magnus uncrossed his arms and strode forward confidently, his shoulders swinging and his gait long as the tested Titan entered the realm of Hive Gods. Cipher followed shortly after, and the Breach slammed closed in the absence of the keystone, preventing the two Guardians from turning back.

They only had one option left: Regicide. Face the Taken King in combat, or be lost to the Darkness forever.

* * *

After nearly a month of Atlesian battleships and the two Guardian jumpships clouding Beacon's airspace, the immense bulk of Amity Colosseum hanging in the sky wasn't much more surprising. The dorms bustled with activity as students from all four academies mingled and prepared for the Vytal Festival. All across campus, the low roar of conversing students, sparring teams, and planning leaders reminded Beacon's more permanent residents that the Festival was just around the corner. Cid's forge remained white hot, last minute orders, adjustments, and replacements flowing in as the Colosseum loomed overhead.

Cinder hated it.

Every laugh, every team cheer, every mind numbingly simple conversation about another student's hair or who was going to win the tournament made Cinder itch to ignite the entire school in one cleansing sweep of flame. After their loss at Mountain Glenn, as well as her own personal failure against the second Guardian, progress with the plan had slowed to a crawl. With Roman in custody and his multi-colored assistant itching to break him out, Cinder was defecit on manpower and time. They had uploaded the virus to the CCT seven times, from different terminals all over Vale. In six of the seven times, the virus had been wiped out by an update almost as soon as they were planted. The final attempt had so far been successful, though Cinder was hesitant to use what control it yielded over the CCT in fear of losing the one successful worm that had been uploaded. Her master would scoff at such caution, but the presence of the Guardians had been enough to nearly drive Cinder to ground. Had she not escaped into the sewers when she had, the entire plan would have failed with her in custody and Mercury and Emerald hung out to dry.

Currently, she was examining the virus' work in the CCT, with all kinds of information dancing at her fingertips like the wisps of fire she so loved. Names, birthdates, documented Semblances – as long as she didn't _change_ anything, Cinder could browse to her heart's content. And her heart was a greedy one.

Unfortunately, the CCT was not forthcoming with any more information beyond the press conference Ozpin and the Guardians had held shortly before the aliens had arrived. Well, the other aliens, that is. Beyond a brief overview of their home planet and the struggles they had faced, there was little information about the Guardians and their abilities. Just a vague reference to an energy known as Light, born of the Traveler.

"Ugh." A verbal complaint escaped her lips as Cinder clutched her chest. The mere thought of the Traveler sent a fire blazing through her chest, its heat far too warm to be comforting and far too mild to be concerning. The Maiden's power – what half she had taken, at any rate – flared and thrummed as her thoughts angled toward the mysterious dead God of Earth. The ache she had felt, the hunger to complete the power she had stolen from the Fall Maiden, had abated in the wake of the calling she had felt upon seeing an image of the Traveler. A desire, a desperate need to ascend into the sky had nearly overwhelmed her. Had Cinder not been surrounded by her pawns, her cover would have been blown by the rush of flame that had surrounded her the moment the Traveler had come into view. The sudden lack of control had done nothing but reniforce the loyalty of her pawns, but it had concerned Cinder. The rush of power had been as exhilerating as always, but to have her own powers dancing out of control was a worrying sign, one that possibly called the operation in peril on top of the Guardian interference. What was the connection between the Maiden powers and this Traveler? Despite the wisdom of Cinder's master, even she had no insight to offer in this regard.

"Everything alright?" Mercury's self-assured tone normally annoyed only Emerald, but the proximity to failure that Cinder faced had eroded what patience she did have for the young assassin.

"I'm fine. Focus on your assignment." Her response was curt and clipped, and carried enough of a barb to send the young man on his way. He backed off and walked back out the door, Now alone, Cinder leaned back on the plush bed Beacon provided to all transfer students. Such opulence she would normally scoff at, useless comforts enjoyed by a people far to comfortable. However, the stress of the past few weeks lessened marginally as she sank into the soft mattress. The soft sheets further lulled the woman into a modicum of relaxation, and she closed her eyes for only a few moments.

When she opened them again, the soft light of the distant city streaming through her window had been replaced by bright, unapologetic sunlight lighting up the whole room. Cinder's eyes widened as she jumped up off of the bed, rushing to the window even as she pulled on her jacket. She was surrounded by teenagers, after all, and a pair of tight fitting jeans and chest bindings would attract more attention than she preferred throwing a window open. As she did, the full onslaught of Remnant's star assaulted her vision, forcing the witch to squint into the light as Amity Colosseum drifted just above Beacon's highest tower. Already, airships were transporting eager students and family members to the floating arena, where the tournament was to be held in mere hours.

That she had lost track of time didn't concern Cinder; the first few fights were already assigned by Ozpin's administration, and it was too early for her to intervene. But the fact that she could have been planning instead of sleeping grated on her nerves. Yes, she had already laid the groundwork for Mercury and Emerald to continue, but the past few months had shown that the situation needed her constant supervision. She'd looked away from Roman for a day, and he'd blown a hole in the middle of Vale and gotten captured.

"So...it begins." Cinder muttered, a demur smile managing to cross her face even despite everything she strove to perfect. These inconveniences would do little to stand in her way. She would gather her full power and show Salem that she was worthy of tuteledge. She was not some summer child, to be swept away like all the other expendable pawns in this long game. She would prove her worth.

The Vytal Festival had begun.

* * *

 **A/N:** This is it. The beginning of the end. We've only got a few chapters left, barring incident, and the end will be explosive. Stay tuned


	25. Chapter 25

We're officially non-canon, gals and ghouls. Not only are Blake's parents very much alive, but my 'leader of the White Fang' trope got kicked in the dick like a pervert at a sleep over. I'll probably go back and update it with their actual names though. Ghira is a total badass anyway.

* * *

 **Chapter 25**

Weiss had entertained her doubts on Cardin's ability to fight after the debacle in Forever Fall, when team CRDL had been convinced to leave Jaune alone after an Ursa Major attack. He and Russell were school bullies at best in her opinion, unable to properly execute the title of Huntsmen and definitely incapable of being Guardians. Now, as Russell dug both daggers into a Geist's face for getting too close to her exposed flank, she found herself readdressing her previous assumptions.

"Come on, princess. Keep your guard up. The fight's over here, too." Russell chided, before backflipping away just in time to avoid another handful of sharpened claws. His tone was jovial, but carried enough of an edge to return Weiss' focus to the fight at hand. She brought Myrtenaster up and turned another armored corpse into a pincushion, the rapier's sharp point finding every exposed bit of Geist and purifying the Grimm until nothing remained but a pile of fragments on the floor. Weiss' eyes swept the large area as the billowing forms of the Geists were cut down with gusto by the gathered students. The Revenant remained on the outskirts of the fight, fending off Yang's flames and taunts to commit to the conflict while its smaller brethren swooped in from above. Weiss expected the large reaper-like Grimm to swoop in and use the Geists as a distraction, assaulting the team and overpowering them. Instead, it simply hung back and...watched. Waited. To what purpose, the heiress couldn't be sure.

The cloud of Geists had quickly dropped to a fog, and the aura of Darkness that hung over the chamber was slowly lifting with every slain Grimm. Whatever powers the creatures exerted over the area was depleting, and the Revenant was wearing out its welcome. The large Grimm tossed a few cautious blows at Yang and Nora, the heaviest hitters in the group with Horst out of commission, but once its friends started falling in earnest, the immense poltergeist used the death of several Geists to withdraw from the fight, twisting its ghastly bulk through the air to dive down into the elevator shaft. The arrival of more armored Geists prevented Nora and Yang from jumping in after it. Instead of diving into the elevator shaft, the two each charged a line of the possessed suits of armor like living bowling balls, scattering the Geists everywhere as they charged. Even if the Geists managed to vacate the armor prior to its destruction, Yang and Nora's heavy blows destroyed the shattered corpses, preventing the Grimm from using them as puppets in the deadly game they now played.

In the middle of the great chamber, Ruby and Weiss stood back to back as the Grimm circled around them, though the young Guardians were by no means surrounded. Every round fired from Crescent Rose and every icy projectile delivered by Wiess' Semblance struck down another Geist, and the two partners were not lax in their slaying. For every encroaching Geist, Ruby's scythe sliced through the air to deflect or render useless the Grimm's seeking claws. She whipped the blade around as if it were lighter than air, gathering momentum quickly and spending it sparingly on each strike. It also helped that her foes were near phantoms in their density, allowing the reaper to send a cloud of darkening fog flying with every revolution of her Crescent Rose.

Not to say that Weiss was a slouch in their defense. While Ruby was poetry in motion, dodging and weaving at her partner's back and sides to keep the Grimm at bay, Weiss remained anchored in her stance. It wasn't so much that she did not move, but rather the rapier-wielding Guardian never moved from her strong foot. Weiss would pivot and step forward, backward, side to side, whatever it took to land a strike or strengthen a block. Despite her strikes and feints, the Schnee heiress never really moved from her spot at Ruby's back. When Myrtenaster wasn't claiming another Geist, Weiss' finger danced through the air and conjured her Glpyhs that sped up Blake in one corner of the chamber, provided a barrier for Cardin as he reared back for a power hit, or allowed Ren's Storm Flower to burn through his targets. Even as she and Ruby stood in the middle of the chamber, Weiss was providing support for the entire team. One particularly ambitious Geist attempted whispered in between the two huntresses, catching Weiss in the middle of a Glyph casting and Ruby in mid swing. Rather than panic or separate, Weiss simply bowed forward as Crescent Rose whistled over her head, the blade's curve keeping the ghastly creature from reaching the heiress as she continued her spell. Just as the screeching demon reached out from its trap, Crescent Rose fired and tore the damned creature in half.

As if the eight Beacon students already engaged weren't enough, a burst of fire from the cave entrance followed by a gleaming crimson javelin destroyed another cluster of armored Geists as they approached from a darkened hallway. Even as Blake and Ren finished up the last of the hissing monstrosities, Jaune and Pyrrha stepped cautiously out from the cave entrance. Surprisingly enough, Pyrrha had Jaune's sword drawn to make up for throwing Milo, and the Apple of Discord that Spirit had gifted to Jaune rested firmly in the young man's hands. The blonde's hardened blue eyes scanned the room for any more Geists, armored or otherwise. When he found none, the leader of team JNPR searched for the next most important thing: Horst.

"Where's the Professor?" Jaune asked warily, his pulse rifle held downward but ready to raise should any nasties pop up. As he stood near the wall, Pyrrha calmly returned his sword to his sheath, then called Milo to her hand using her Semblance. The javelin had found a temporary home in the far wall, having pierced two Geists in their entirety. It's bronzed edges pulse with a dark glow for a moment, but a quiet clink announced the weapon's freedom from the wall as it flew to Pyrrha's grasp once more. When the champion gripped her precious spear once again, the aura faded.

"He's over there, near the wall. Just look for the dent." Yang offered, panting slightly as she reigned in her rampant emotions. The flames that smoldered and licked at the walls and floors, usually accompanied by ragged and swollen blotches of molten metal, still tickled at the edges of her consciousness as she struggled to calm down. The euphoria she had felt as each Grimm burst into a fiery smoke, or was crushed into ineffective chunks by her fists and immense strength...she yearned for it even as the last Geist had been slain. Not enough to raise a fist to her fellow Guardians, but the urge to find some more Grimm was an itch that just couldin't be scratched. Still, the mission couldn't just be ignored; Yang took a deep, calming breath and waved her hand in front of her slowly. At her beck and call, the flickering flames extinguished all around the chamber.

Jaune and Pyrrha made their way over to the corner wall, opposite of the hallway from where they had entered. Sure enough, a sizable dent in the metal wall marked Horst's impact with after the Revenant's strike. The clump of metal and misery that was their professor did not move, prompting Jaune to let Bastion take his pulse rifle away and kneel down beside the elder Guardian.

"Professor?" He shook the prostrate Titan gently, then more insistently when Horst failed to move. "Professor, you gotta wake up." Still no movement, though a muted groan could be heard from the helmet. Jaune shook the Titan's shoulder again, and this time his efforts were rewarded with a reluctant hand raising to stop him from further harrassment. Cardin and Russell trotted over just in time to see Horst wearily sit up, his hands coming up to undo his helmet. A quiet hiss of excaping air indicated the undone seals, and soon Horst's head was revealed once more. A steady drip of blood flowed down the side of his face, dripping from his chin onto the concrete floor. As the helmet came away, a nasty gash becoming prominent as it kept leaking blood. Pyrrha winced at the sight of the wound, and the streaming path of blood down his face forced the Titan to squint with his scarred eye.

"Team...report in." Horst winced even as he spoke. The motion of moving his jaw alone was enough to send lightning shooting through his head, and his own words echoed a million times louder in his ears. Whatever force created Revenants, it had to be powerful; the damn thing had put him out with one punch.

"We found Cardin and and Russell, and there are quite a few dead Geists now." Jaune advised, nodding to Cardin as the team leader approached. "The Revenant isn't here though, and we've got no idea where Dove and Sky are."

"Those two are on this level." Cardin supplied, stowing his mace and crossing his arms. "We split up in that hallway over there, and Russell and I were the only ones that ran this direction. If they changed levels, it was deeper into the complex. This big elevator makes me think that we're in the center." Horst nodded at the estimation, though his student's words were too loud even from twenty feet away. The painful throbbing in his head lessened with every second, but even the Traveler's Light could only heal so quickly.

"We can't just leave them here." Jaune stated as if it were the most obvious thing in the world. Which it kinda was. "There's enough of us to search for the Gateway and find Cardin's team. Can your ship keep us in contact with each other?" Ruby and Weiss trotted over as well, leaving Blake, Nora, and Yang to watch the elevator shaft just in case the Revenant decided to come back. Ren stood over next to the door that entered the hallway where CRDL had been ambushed.

"The _Iron Symphony_ can keep terrestrial communication perfect until about three miles underground or fifteen miles above ground." Horst advised, wiping his hand across his temple and wincing when the gauntlet touched his wound. "Unless this installation continues down into the mantle, our communication should be fine."

"Are you okay, Professor? You took one heck of a hit." Yang hollered from the shaft, and the sound made Horst's headache flare up again. Thank the Traveler, however, that his Light had healed it to a manageable level. Horst waved his arm a few times, and the concerned students backed off enough for him to stand. The large Titan did so slowly, using the wall next to him for support until he was fully upright. Once he was vertical again, Horst pictured the facility's layout in his head. Most Golden Age bunkers like this one were kept a secret, but their construction remained similar to a point. If the Gateway was any kind of focus for the facility, or took a huge power draw, there was one place it was guaranteed to be: the bottom. But the missing members of CRDL needed to be found as well. Jaune was right; their best bet was to split up to accomplish both objectives.

"I'm fine, Yang. Is everyone else alright?" Horst surveyed his team as best he could, feeling the itchy-hot sensation as his wound slowly closed and stemmed to bleeding. No matter how much he appreciated that particular perk of Guardianship, it _itched_.

"The only thing we're missing is more bad guys and a decent soundtrack. I thought getting surrounded usually works out worse than this." Yang said with her hands on her hips, walking over to the huddle and leaving Blake and Nora on shaft duty...hehe he. Horst rolled his shoulders in a shrug, and returned Chimera to its place on his back.

"Sometimes it does. Just be glad no one needed to be resurrected." Horst muttered as Switch appeared, scanning the helmet Horst held in his hands. After a few moments of the blue light playing over the armor, a small clank could be heard inside, and Horst put the helmet back on without an issue, resecuring the seals as he did so.

"What do you mean? I thought you said the only places we couldn't resurrect were area overrun by..." Pyrrha trailed off as she glanced around at the chamber. When they had first arrived, the shadows had been inky and heavy, their lights swallowed up by a pressure that seemed to come from all directions. Now, the chamber just needed a lamp. "Oh. That was a Darkness zone?"

"Correct." Horst confirmed. "Thanks to number of Guardians here and the Light given off by your abilities, the Darkness was purged once the Revenant left the area. There will be more Darkness down below, likely until we slay the creature, but for now this chamber has been cleansed. If Cardin and JNPR are up for it, I propose that you students clear this floor in search of Dove and Sky, and then rendevous with myself and team RWBY afterwards." When he said that, Jaune, Ruby, and Cardin all exchanged confused looks before looking back at him strangely. Cardin opened his mouth to speak, but Jaune got the words out first.

"Uh, why are you asking us? You're the Professor. And you're the senior Guardian." Jaune asked, and Cardin nodded in agreement as well. The fact that Cardin took getting interrupted by a guy he had bullied a few months prior so well still baffled Ruby. Horst chuckled and used his golden mark to sop up the dripping blood from his head, the treated fabric coloring crimson as his lifeblood soaked into it.

"I may have led you through the previous exercises and our foray into the White Fang base, but the prowess shown in handling these more recent missions has shown me that you are ready to assume the full role of leaders. I will not always be here to show you the way through, and it is up to you to guide your team. Ruby, you and Jaune performed flawlessly in the Emerald Forest against the Fallen in leading your teams. You successfully engaged and redirected a Fallen assault, and defeated a Baron in combat. You have embraced the roles given to you as leaders and friends, and I could not be more proud." When the mark came away, Horst's head was still tinged red but a large majority of the blood was gone from his head. Horst let the mark drop to its place, and a shimmer of Light from Switch cured the blemishes from the cloth as if they had never existed.

"And as for Cardin," Horst continued, turning to face the larger student. "You accepted a mission with the full support of your team, and ventured far outside of Vale's borders even as a first year student. When things got rough and dark, you and Russell stuck together and you memorized as much of a dark facility as you could. The fact that you have even the slightest idea what direction Dove and Sky went speaks to your ability to think on your feet. You have improved greatly as both a leader and a Huntsman. And speaking of leadership," Horst inclined his head toward the hallway. "I think it's time you found your missing teammates."

Cardin nodded and gave Russell a pointed look. The mohawk wearing young man grinned and took off toward the doorway, passing the ever stoic Ren as he and Cardin charged into the lightened hall. Ren watched the two go, and then looked back at Jaune. Jaune and Pyrrha shared a smirk as well, and then the blonde looked back at Horst.

"We won't let you down. Keep us updated." The young man waved his sword toward the elevator shaft. "Nora, come on! We gotta find the rest of CRDL!" With that, he and Pyrrha followed their classmates across the room and into the hall, following as closely behind CRDL as they could.

"Wait for me!" Nora's gleeful cry echoed throughout the chamber as she leaped away from the elevator shaft. Landing roughly ten meters away from the hatch, Nora was locked in a dead sprint that pulled Ren roughly along when she grabbed hold of his arm. When the door hissed closed, the only ones in the chamber were RWBY and Horst.

"So, we get to chase the big Darkness monster down into an abandoned elevator shaft, and try to locate an intergalactic gateway that may or may not work." Blake summazied dryly, her amber eyes lighting up slightly as she gazed into the dark below. Yang and Weiss joined her at the edge of the shaft, all peering down into the inky blackness as Horst marched over to them with Ruby close behind.

"If it makes you feel any better, the eight of you have accomplished more in a month than many newborn Guardians can do in a year. And you have not died nearly as often." Horst offered in some concilatory fashion. The last of his headache had disappeared with team JNPR, though there was no connection between the annoyance and fledgeling team. All it meant was that he was back at one hundred percent, and it was time to go spelunking into the deep dark.

"You know, surprisingly it kinda does." Weiss added incredulously, the tip of her finger starting to glow as she considered the Glyphs she would have to use. Ruby looked down into the creepy shaft as well, though what little apprehension she felt was not at the prospect of failure, but rather what would happen if they succeeded. She was leading her team to open a doorway to another world! One full of danger and mystery and beautiful, sad heritage that she couldn't wait to explore. But what would that bring to Remnant? The wars fought by humanity were far from over, and the contact Horst and Ozpin had been so careful about was quickly approaching. And her team was going to make it happen.

"Well, here goes nothing." Ruby said in a chipper tone. "Race you to the bottom!" And with that, the reaper dove out into the empty air, her red cloak flapping behind her as she fell into the abyss. The other four watched her descend, and the first to make any move to follow her was, of course, Yang. The brawler slammed her fists together, creating a spark and a clang of metal, and shot the others a daredevil grin.

"You heard Ruby! Last one to the bottom's on lookout duty!" Yang backflipped out into the empty air, and threw Ember Celica behind her towards the ceiling. A pair of detonations later, and she was a blazing yellow rocket, trailing flames as she streaked downward into the darkness. Weiss and Blake watched her go, and then Horst looked between the two of them.

"Any other contestants in the 'How to Fall the Most Stylishly Competition'?" He asked in good humor. Blake rolled her eyes and stepped forward, one hand on Gambol Shroud while the other was held outward from her body as she simply stepped off the ledge and into the darkness. Unlike Ruby and Yang, Blake disappeared almost as soon as she dropped, the only tell of her passing being a faint wisp of smoke. It was an ability that she had never displayed before, and Horst and Weiss shared a look.

"Do all Guardians develop unique abilities like that?" She asked tentatively, before returning her gaze to where Blake had just been. Even now, wisps of black smoke remained where the Faunus had disappeared from sight. Horst shrugged and gestured toward the spot with an open hand.

"Light is a very flexible energy source. Many Nightstalkers, Hunters that use mainly Void Light, have an ability very similar to what Blake just did called Shadestep. However, it seems that your teammate has a natural affinity for the shadows, considering her Semblance. I can only imagine the abilities you will discover as you grow." Horst said with a confident smirk, though she could not see it for his helmet.

"If you say so..." Weiss remained skeptical, though even she had been noticing the changes in Blake and Yang's behavior. Yang seemed even more inclined to show off and detonate than usual, whereas Blake has proven more quiet than she had been when they first became a team. The changes affecting team RWBY were in more than just ability; their personalities were reflecting the differences as well. Ruby seemed the least affected, but even she was more reckless than ever, dashing ahead and slashing through enemies she'd normally size up and plan for first.

And that didn't account for what Weiss was seeing. Every now and then, Myrtenaster would shimmer and glow, as if its composition was changing to a glass-like state. Worse still, even as she held it up to the light given off by Switch and Flake, it almost appeared as if she could see through the rapier's blade, though that which appeared beyond was so disjointed and contorted that she felt as if she were looking through a kaleidiscope. Weiss gazed into her sword, trying ever still to pierce the depths of this strange vision. Swirls of white and gray merged together seemlessly as they twisted into an infinite helix that danced in front of the very star-

"Weiss." Horst's voice snapped the heiress out of her trance, and she blinked twice before focusing on Horst. Years of being raised in the aristocracy, however, forced out her reply before she even realized that she had spoken.

"Yes?" Horst tilted his head, and nodded towards the sword that she now held out in front of her.

"You spaced out on me for a moment. Are you alright?" Weiss looked down at Myrtenaster again, which had now reverted back to its normal state, and returned the blade to her side as she nodded uncertainly.

"I'm fine. Just...distracted, that's all. Are you ready to go?" Horst looked down into the elevator shaft, and now the faint echoes of gunshots and screeching monster could be heard from below. Whatever was going on down there, the rest of team RWBY had started a riot, it seemed.

"Let's get going, lest they cut us out of all the fun." With that, Horst grasped Chimera on his back and dropped, his outline glowing faintly every twenty feet or so as he used his Lift ability to slow his descent. She watched him fall for a moment, his dim barrier of Light illuminating the dark chasm moments at a time, and she looked back down at Myrtenaster again. The blade remained its same, simple color, and did not behave like some infinite portal into the multiverse like she had just seen. It was just a rapier, a blade for her to wield as she saw fit. And with that thought concrete in her mind, Weiss dropped down into the abyss as well, her Glyphs slowing her descent into Hell.

* * *

When Revy came to, it was not the dark Golden Age facility that greeted her eyes, but rather the familiar cabin of the _Black Lagoon._ Another familiar greeting she received was the dull ache in her head. This time, however, she had not earned that pain through a night of partying and drinking until the sun came up.

"That rotten fucker..." Revy muttered with a wince, sitting up to rub her sore head as she reluctantly returned to the land of the living. Her memory of what had happened was a little hazy; the big Titan had told her to go back to the boat, she had called him out on his bullshit, and then...nothing. A slight throb in her gut hinted at something resembling a beatdown, but Horst wasn't the kind the beat the shit out of someone that had helped him. He was too goody-two-shoes for that. Off to her left, she heard the mettalic swivel of Dutch's chair, and he turned to face her as she sat up from the padded seat near the rear of the cabin.

"Revy." It was a greeting and nothing else, which meant Dutch was being cautious. That told her more than any explanation ever could. They'd knocked her out, and he had gone along with it for her sake. That alone wouldn't be enough for him to tip toe around her, so that meant that something else had happened. She didn't have to guess what that was. She had been dreading the news ever since Rock had first coughed up a mouthful of blood, though she had been preparing for it ever since. One didn't live the kind of life that Revy had lived without seeing more than one's fair share of death, but it was different when some asshole tried to put more holes in her. Other pirates, snobby bureaucrats, and the occassional soldier were all play things, toys to be dropped in the trash after she broke them. Rock was different, and she knew now that unless the mission succeeded, her partner would be gone for good.

"How long was I out?" Her voice was flat, and she could feel the tension ease slightly as Dutch flipped his lighter out and lit a cigarette, the flame revealing his face in the darkened helm for but a moment. He puffed on the cigarette and let out twin clouds of smoke, savoring the rush of nicotine, before answering her.

"Twenty, maybe thirty minutes. They dropped you off and ran back in after the fighting started." Dutch clarified, watching her closely as Revy stood up from the seat. "It's probably best if you stay on the boat. Help watch over Rock." Revy heard the subtle hitch in his voice when Dutch said Rock's name, and that was more confirmation than the dull silence could ever be. The blank, dead look crept into her eyes as Revy struggled to detach herself from the situation, a method she had used to numb any emotional damage until later on the streets of Vale. Right now, she knew that she'd hurt if she stopped moving. So she had to get out there and do something, _anything_ to further their mission. Professor Ozpin was a snobby prick just like all the other aristocrat types, but he'd made a promise to her to save Rock. If the Guardians didn't accomplish their objective here, she'd never see Rock again.

"There's nothing left to watch over, Dutch." The arms of the chair groaned in protest as Revy's employer gripped them a little more tightly, but the gunslinger paid him no mind and turned toward the hatch. Dutch remained silent as she walked deeper into the _Lagoon,_ and he released a breath he hadn't realized he had been holding the whole time. Truth be told, the veteran hadn't been entirely sure that he could have contained Revy in the event of an outburst. The dull acceptance that she offered now, however, was almost worse. Like she was just as dead as Rock was.

Down the ladder into the main hold of the _Lagoon,_ Revy walked past Benny's open door as she slowly headed towards the bottom of the boat. Inside, she peeked in to see Benny stubbornly cleaning his glasses with a faded white cloth, his eyes staring ahead at a darkened computer screen. His head tilted slightly at the scrape of her boots on the metal deck, but he did nothing else to acknowledge her presence. Revy stood there for a few moments, watching Benny meticulously polish his glasses and stare ahead as if his black monitor held all the answers in the world. But it had none.

"Is the Dragon still in the hold?" Revy asked, her coarse voice causing Benny to stop the circular motion of his fingers and set his glasses down. The blonde hacker heaved a heavy sigh and replaced the glasses onto his face, but he didn't turn to face her. Revy suspected why, but she wouldn't ask. It wouldn't do for the cast iron bitch to see her crewmate's tears.

"Yeah. We refueled it awhile back, and haven't used it since. Go nuts." Benny's voice had none of the cheerful inflections she was used to, but no one had a reason to be cheerful today. Instead of offering a reply, Two Hands simply nodded and picked up her foot to keep moving toward the hold, where her prize resided. And her partner rested.

"Revy." Benny's somber tone stopped her, and she stood still as she waited for his request. Benny turned to regard her with a single eye, nearly hidden by his shaggy blonde hair as his grief bled through his eyes. "Do whatever you have to do."

"Already on it, Benny boy." Revy said with a mirthless chuckle, and she continued down into the hold with nothing more than a rap of her knuckles on the metal bulkhead. Benny watched the empty hatch for a few moments, then turned back to face the monitor of his computer. Despite a few moments of silence and the anxiety that twisted his gut, he still couldn't find the nerve to turn the damn thing on.

Once the hatch to the _Black Lagoon's_ main cargo hold finished creaking open, Revy stepped down into the dim light. There were several wooden and steel containers laying about, just in case whatever they decided to haul didn't come with a box. She'd always made Rock take care of the inventory, since it was boring work that didn't require her 'special skillset'. Now, she'd count every speck of dust in the hold before she'd look over at the canvas covered table on the port side of the hold. Instead of the bandages and IV drips she had seen cluttering the area around Rock's still form, all that remained was a simple white sheet drawn up over his body. Revy's lidded eyes ran over her partner's unmoving body, then she slowly walked over to one of the crates near the stern of the boat. A metal slab covered a thick steel box, and was marked 'Danger!' and 'Highly Flammable!' Revy kicked the top cover off without a second thought. She moving through the equipment slowly, the full tanks clanking gently as she checked pressure gauges and check hose lines for any leaks. Thankfully, Rock had padded the container appropriately and there was no damage that she could find. He always was meticulous like that, especially if it was something she had taught him.

The controller had to be connected separately, and she took the fixture out and checked the seals for any damage or leaks. If the thing she was spraying with had a leak, she wouldn't live long enough to regret it. Once she was done checking it, Revy reached into the box and grabbed the harness up. With a grunt of effort, she shouldered the twin tanks and walked over to the table where Rock lay.

"You know, you got us into this mess asshole." She accused lowly, slipping the tanks from her shoulders and onto the table beside her partner. Rock didn't respond. "If you had just kept your mouth shut, we wouldn't be in this mess." Revy connected the controller to the tanks and opened them up, testing the pilot light before priming it and letting the tiny little blue flame light up the dim hold.

"Those kids all dove in fighting, you know." Revy told her partner, though a part of her wonder why she felt the need to speak to a corpse. Maybe even dead, she felt the need to talk to Rock. She didn't know, and didn't really care at the moment. "They're a solid bunch of little fuckers, even the little bitch that lost her parents. Guess you were right about that closure. They're up there right now, trying to find that stupid Gate thing we came here for." Revy stared down at the sheet that covered Rock's form, and her fingers brushed the offending white material. Before she could decide not to, Two Hands pulled the cover down enough to reveal his face. Just as she expected, Rock's face was the picture of peace, eyes closed as if he had just nodded off like he did sometimes. But she knew there was no shaking him awake or throwing a can at him today.

"I'm heading out to make sure that stupid thing works. Gotta make sure that fucker Ozpin keeps his promise." Revy explained. With her equipment ready and the Dragon fully assembled, Revy scooped her arms back through the straps and tightened them down, and grabbed the controller with one hand. A pack of cigarettes came from her pocket, and she tilted the controller up to light it once she put the tobacco in her mouth. The gas that fueled the pilot light tasted strange, and probably wasn't very healthy for her to breathe, but Revy wasn't about the long game anymore. Not if this mission failed.

"Get some rest, partner. I'll see you soon." With that, Revy took the cigarette from her mouth and set it down next to Rock's head, just in case he decided he wanted to smoke.

Revy took the ladder up from the hold to the crew cabin a lot faster than she had taken it down. She passed Benny's silent room quickly, and found the hatch leading to the outside before Dutch could come out and say something about staying behind or letting the immortal space warriors handle the monsters. At this point, Revy wasn't in the mood to entertain him today. She pushed the hatch outward, and the biting cold spashed across her face and coaxed a gasp out as she reacted to the frozen wind. Gritting her teeth, the gunslinger pushed through it and hoisted her added weight through, before slamming the hatch shut and turning to face the cliff face. All around her, water and ice splashed and whistled in this frozen wasteland, though she didn't pay it much mind. It could have been a hundred degrees out, and she'd still be cold inside. But she had plenty of fire to spread. Giving the handle a test squeeze, the area in front of Revy's controller painted a brilliant orange as she sent a gout of flame out over the water. The rush of power she normally felt when playing with a new toy was nowhere to be found. Rock wasn't there to see her waving fire around like the witch he accused her of being sometimes.

It took twenty minutes for her to traverse the ancient pier and get into the cave entrance itself. After that, it only took another five to reach the last place she remembered before Horst had knocked her out. The great chamber they had cleared out was a little brighter than she remembered, but apparently Grimm tended to make things darker when a lot of them gathered together. Go figure. The hallway she had been chased out of when CRDL was first ambushed looked promising, and she could hear faint screeches and gunfire further down. Figuring that was a good place to start, Revy rolled her shoulders and stalked towards the door, holding her flamethrower at the ready in case she got a surprise going in. It was a good thing she did so, as no sooner did the doors hiss open did a wayward Geist come charging out of the hallway, claws bared and swinging and causing Revy to step back. The gunslinger grinned widely and squeezed the handle, sending a tongue of flame washing down the hall and swallowing the Grimm in a roaring inferno. The creature screeched and cried in agony, but her flames were too much for it to withstand. When the light of the fire died down, all that remained was scorched metal and a faint miasma of black dust. The sound of fighting grew louder as she entered the hallway, and Revy leaned forward and started at a light jog. If Ozpin wasn't the prick faced liar that she suspected him to be, then Rock's only chance was down this hall. She couldn't afford to let these kids fail.

"Just another bug hunt."

* * *

"Whoa!" Jaune barely ducked in time to see a huge gout of flame paint an armored Geist and engulf it completely, ending the creature's pathetic existence with little more than a hiss and roar of flame. Pyrrha slid back from blocking an overhead strike from a regular Geist and picked the blonde knight up, just in time for both of them to witness the second Grimm literally go up in flames. When the screeching monster finally gave up and died, the pair turned toward the doorway that the fire had come from. Behind them, Nora and Ren finished off the last armored creature in time to look up and see Revy come stomping through the doors, with a freakin' flamethrower of all things strapped to her back.

"Sup kiddos?" She intoned with a mirthless chuckle. "Anybody up for a barbeque?" The room they were in echoed with cries from further in, and the one bank of servers that inhabited the concrete construction was scorched beyond recognition. Ren and Nora charged down down the hallway opposite of the door Revy had entered through. Pyrrha gave the gunslinger a guarded stare, before she too followed the others down the hall. As the sound of another fight echoed from further in the facility, Jaune crossed his arms and leaned back.

"Professor Horst sent you back to the boat because this is going to be dangerous. How did you get back so quickly, anyway?" Jaune asked, keeping a watchful eye on where the burning mouth of Revy's weapon was pointed. The gunslinger snorted derisively, and hoisted the controller up to point at the ceiling.

"I'm not some little doll you have to protect from the monsters, pal. And besides, we don't get paid until the job's done." Jaune flinched at her condescending tone. And her eyes were dead; brown pools of darkness that simply reflected the world around her, with no spark or glint of life in them. He remembered the way Blake and Yang had spoken about Lagoon Company's resident gunman, and the way she had so callously exposed Adam Taurus' secret about taking over the White Fang. As much as he felt she needed to be on the boat, Jaune wasn't going to push the issue.

"Well, alright then. Just be careful, and stay close to us. We can take a few more hits than you can." He said, tapping his armor for emphasis. "No sense in you getting hurt when you don't have to."

"Don't patronize me, you little shit." Revy snarled, and a little bit of the anger she had a reputation for leaked out. "Just point me at the freaks." Jaune gulped audibly at her instruction, and then raised a hand to point toward the door JNPR and CRDL had gone through. Without another word to him, Revy stomped past the blonde and into the hallway. A 90 degree turn later, and she entered into what had to be a maintenance area – all kinds of what looked like spare parts and wires draped over steel racks that ran through the room. More storage racks hung from above, hexagonal trays that held some of the smaller and more delicate pieces needed to keep the facility running. On the western side of the room, opposite of where they had come in, a great pile of discarded racks and scattered parts littered the floor. On the other side of the pile, Cardin swung his wicked mace at a pair of Geists that had possessed what seemed to be laser cannons. The eerie black wisps of smoke around the tube-like barrels and what appeared to be bone plating tipped her off. Cardin was swinging his mace as hard as he could, and had apparently damaged the guns enough to prevent them from turning and firing, but he couldn't force the creatures out of their refuge.

"Come on, you bunch of cowards." The boy taunted, another great clang filling the room as he smashed one of the barrels toward the ceiling. "Come out and stop me from breaking your toys!" A muted hiss could be heard from the defense mechanisms, though the Grimm inside did not rise to his challenge. Cardin growled and stepped back to swing again when he was shoved to the side, causing the team leader to look down to his right.

"What the-" He didn't get to finish as Revy stepped in front of him, the pilot light of her flamethrower pointed directly at the two mounted laser turrets.

"Step aside, kiddo. When you deal with freaks like this, you can't ask fucking nicely." She told him, and her hand wrapped around the handle with a savage glee. Another brilliant gout of flame shot out from her weapon, coating the possessed emplacements and causing a frightful shriek to fill the room. Shadowy arms could be seen flailing about from the center of her cone of flame, but every effort by the Geists to escape the fire exposed more of their bodies to the inferno. When the screams finally died down Revy let the pressure off, and all that remained was a pair of blackened, warped defense turrets that probably weren't even good for scrap metal anymore. The weapons had survived for millenia, only to be destroyed by a few students and a fire-spouting pirate. It was sad, to see something that had worked for longer than Vale had existed scrapped in such a brutal manner, but nothing was sacred to the Grimm. Therefore, nothing was sacred to those that eradicated Grimm. Cardin watched the ruined guns crackle and burn for a few more moments before he turned and looked down at Revy, her listless dead eyes boring into him with more effect than a hundred snarling Grimm.

"Aren't you supposed to be on the boat?" He suggested harshly, earning a challenging show of teeth from the gunslinger as she stepped up to get into his face. Jaune trotted up just in time to see the two face off, towering student versus small gun-toting murderer. Somehow, Jaune knew that even with Cardin's aura and immense strength, Revy would come out on top.

"Aren't you supposed to be finding your teammates? Cuz it sure as shit doesn't look like you have yet." Ever the marksman, Revy drove her point home right where she knew it would hurt the worst. She almost took pride in the way Cardin flinched, though her success was lessened when he still didn't back down. The big student actually bumped her with his chestplate, a slight metallic _tink_ filling the hall as her guns collided with the armor.

"And your partner is back on the _Lagoon_ , where you should be. What will you do if he dies while you're out here, fighting monsters?" Cardin watched her eyes shatter open, and despite the number of hits he could take, the punch she delivered to his inner thigh still managed to make him sink to his knees. When he did, Revy's iron grip wrapped around his jaw, and she pulled him close enough to where Cardin could smell the booze she had drunk hours previously.

"While you kids have been down here pussyfooting around, Rock already died. And you have some fucking nerve to lecture me about my partner when I haven't seen a single one of your team since you little shits cut and run!" Revy snarled in his face, one of her boots planted on his hand to prevent the young man from standing up. "It's time to man the fuck up, brat, and realize that every second you spend fucking around instead of looking for your crew could be the second that costs them everything. Now are you gonna sit here and lose a dick measuring contest with a girl," she shoved him backwards and removed her boot from his hand at the same time, causing the brutish teen to roll backward onto his butt. "Or are you gonna get in there and find Sky and Dove?!" It was the first time any of them had heard her call any of the students by name. Usually, she substituted their names with biting nicknames or just pointed out who she was talking to. And the fact that she had openly admitted that Rock was dead caused the room to take another solemn turn. This time, Cardin couldn't look her in the eye. Instead, he stood up and grabbed his mace, throwing his cloak back in frustration as he stalked down the hall. The sound of fighting had stopped, but Jaune knew that there were more Grimm to kill. There were always more.

"I'm sorry for what happened to him." Revy didn't react when Jaune finally spoke up, the only other occupant in the room as he stepped gingerly around her. "I can tell he meant a lot to you, but what Cardin was trying to say was-" A single look from her cold, lifeless eyes cut Jaune off in mid sentence. She stared at him for a few moments, then looked away to focus on the wall next to them.

"I know what he meant. I've been through a lot of shit, but apparently he can take a beating and some of you kids can even come back from the fucking dead." Revy walked slowly over toward the next hall, which was now devoid of the screeching and gunfire they had associated with combat. "But you don't seem to understand very well. Rock died helping people, no matter how many times I told him that all that goody two shoes bullshit would get him killed. He died to fix the White Fang, and if you guys don't succeed in this mission, then my partner died for nothing. Your faggot Headmaster promised to fix Rock, but now he's dead. So I have to honor what he wanted." Jaune pushed past her, careful not to touch the deranged gunslinger as he led the way down the hall, if nothing else to take a strike that would end her.

"But these things are everywhere, and who knows where that big one went? You could die down here." He pleaded, trying to make her see reason. Revy didn't respond right away, but the dim white lights glinted in the smile she revealed. All too late, Jaune learned the difference between a genuine smile and a set of bared teeth.

"That's the thing, kiddo. I'm already dead. We all are, as long as this is what we do. And the sooner you accept it, the sooner you can get to fucking shit up." Without waiting for any kind of reply, Revy continued on in the same direction Cardin and the others had gone. Her departure left Jaune alone, staring after her twin fuel tanks as she disappeared further into the facility. Was that all they were: dead men and women who fought until their time was up? What future lay ahead for them? Jaune had never considered it because of the Fallen incursion and the mission they were on now, but what exactly did it mean to be a Guardian?

Hunstmen and Huntresses fought and loved and lost just like everyone else. And also just like everyone else, their time eventually came in some way or another, be it the tip of a Grimm's fang, the bullet of a criminal, or the long and slow decay of time itself. Death was a certain thing for Huntsmen. But Guardians? Guardians had no certainty. They were unstoppable, unkillable...even when they demanded to be killed. To live for eons, fighting the same fight over and over again and coming back from oblivion only to return again and again, it struck a chord with Jaune. He surmised that at first, it hadn't bothered him because he had his team. Ren, Nora, and Pyrrha especially; the three that had made him into the warrior he was today served as a barrier against anything life could throw at him. But watching Revy charge into the next fight not because she wanted to win, but because she wanted to lose...all over the loss of her partner. Could he survive losing his team? Could he handle losing Pyrrha?

 _I guess that's something I'll have to talk to the professor about._ Jaune thought glumly. Resolving himself to face the crisis later, Jaune rolled his shoulders forward and moved into the next hallway. As it turned out, he needn't have bothered. Just as he entered the darkened corridor, he ran nose first into Cardin's breastplate, causing him to stumble backwards holding his hose as the larger student came barreling back out toward the main hall. Behind him, Sky, Russell, and Dove kept close to him, with Sky and Dove looking a little worse for wear. Sky's clothes were torn and ill fitting, and Dove's sword was covered in claw marks and scratches. If Cardin even felt Jaune deflect off of his chest and onto the ground, he didn't show it. After Team CRDL made their exit, the rest of Jaune's team were not far behind. Pyrrha was the first one through the door, and she followed Jaune's groggy groan as he held his nose. It hadn't been enough to break it, but Cardin hadn't been gentle.

"Everyone's a little angry right now, it seems." She observed as she offered a hand. Jaune took it and nodded grimly, finally releasing his nose with a wince.

"Yeah, and what I'm gonna have to say next is really gonna go over well." He murmured, and Pyrrha cocked her head in confusion. Jaune looked back toward where the other team had gone through, just as Ren and Nora caught up with them.

"Now what? We've got to get back down there and help the others so we can leave." Pyrrha questioned, and Jaune shook his head.

"No. We can't let Cardin and his friends stay. Revy I can understand, but Team CRDL can't take the hits we can. Even if Cardin was being level headed, there's too much risk. Plus, who knows what we'll find down there? There's likely to be more than just the Geists, and I don't want to lose anyone else on this mission." Ren and Nora shared a look at that, but whatever Ren was about to say died when a slow clap came from behind them.

"So glad someone finally found their balls." The strike of a lighter could be heard from the dark, and Revy's face lit up in the hallway as she lit a cigarette. The end glowed cherry red as she took a long drag, before blowing the smoke into the room they had were standing in. Ren's nose wrinkled at the smell of burning tobacco, but no one was stupid enough to criticize the gunslinger, especially with Traveler-knew how many gallons of flammable fuel on her back.

"Revy, I understand why you won't go back. But can you help me convince the others to go back to the boat? I can't let Cardin and the others die down here. The pirate looked at him with her lidded, dead eyes, and she was silent for a moment. Truthfully, she didn't give two shits how many of the cocky little fuckers died, especially the bitchy big one. But she was also tired of seeing all this bad shit go down. The loss of Rock still numbed her, a crippling burden that she didn't feel like facing right now. But even now, as they stood there waiting for her answer, she caught a glimpse of a white shirt and that stupid green tie he always wore flickered at the edge of her awareness. There, in the corner of her vision, she could see her partner standing like he always did, shoulders back and his hands in his pockets as a cigarette burned between his lips. That confident, piercing stare she had always hated was on his face, and he seemed to glare into her very soul. Just like he always had. She knew that he was gone. She knew that this ghostly apparition, this Rock that couldn't be Rock, did not exist. But it did make her think: what would Rock do?

 _Dammit Rock. You're gonna owe me for this._ Just as the though crossed her mind, the vision of her partner smirked and nodded. His cigarette flared up one more time, and he vanished.

Jaune and the others watched as Revy stared off into the distance, her gaze fixed on some dark corner in the room. The burning ashes of her cigarette crept ever slowly toward her lips, and Jaune knew that if she got burned staring off into space, the combination of pain and embarassment would light the room on fire. Just before it reached her, however, Two Hands spit the tobacco out and crushed it beneath her boot.

"Alright, ya little shit. But only 'cause I like bossing around the asshole." Team JNPR parted as she stepped past them and followed the path CRDL had traveled toward the main hall. Jaune and Pyrrha followed close behind, as curious as they were intent on making sure that Revy didn't kill the other team. Nora followed along, but Ren stopped as he looked into the corner where Revy had been staring. There, just close to the wall, the still burning embers of another cigarette sat smoking. Ren didn't remember seeing the pirate with any other cigarette besides the one she had just snuffed out. Where had that one come from?

Out in the main chamber, Cardin and his team stood next to the immense elevator shaft that ran through the center of the whole facility. He had a hold of Dove's arm, and was inspecting his teammate quite forcefully for any further wounds. The disgruntled look on Dove's face indicated that this had been a one sided inspection, but Cardin still checked him over regardless. Revy stomped over toward them, with Jaune and Pyrrha close behind.

"What do you wan-urk!" Cardin's dismissive question was cut off by the very intimidating pirate shoving the pilot light of a flamethrower right into his crotch, causing the armored team leader to drop his hands on instinct in a futile attempt to save his huevos from being cooked over easy. Revy, however, was all teeth and evil as she grinned menacingly.

"If you're done feeling up your team, it's time to get the fuck back on the boat." The falsely sweet tone in her voice made her threat all the more terrifying. "Argue with me, and it'lll really burn when you piss." Dove, Russell, and Sky all 'eep'ed in terror and drew away from the small woman, leaving their leader to a fate of his own choosing. Cardin himself winced in a mixture of fear and discomfort, already feeling the heat as the pilot light continued to burn.

"The mission's not over yet." He managed to ground out, followed by an involuntary yelp as she shoved harder into his nuts.

"It's over for a bunch of kids that can't magically come back to life. We don't have time to protect everyone that only has one ticket to punch. So move your ass and get back to the boat. What if Dutch and Benny run into trouble? You four are the only ones that we can afford to send and still be effective." Her slew of insults gave way to reason, and Cardin's furrowed brow slowly released its tension even as she backed off, removing her threatening weapon as she did so. The large teen stepped back a pace, before crossing his arms and frowning.

"That's a crap excuse and you know it." He retorted, and looked like he was about to say more when Jaune stepped forward as well.

"Please, Cardin. We've already lost Rock." Everyone saw the way Revy flinched at the mention of her partner. "I don't want to bury anyone else. Lagoon or us." Cardin had come a long way in respecting Jaune since their first semester. The blonde had made improvements in leaps and bounds, both as a Guardian and a person. A clueless person would contribute his improvement to Pyrrha's involvement, or the teachings of a nearly immortal warrior such as Horst. But there had to be something there for them to teach; a quality piece of steel to be shaped by their hands. Cardin was brash, insensitive, and sometimes reckless, but he wasn't clueless.

"Alright. But if we don't hear from you losers in an hour, we're coming back in for a sitrep. Crazy bitches with flamethrowers be damned." Cardin said with conviction, earning a one finger salute from Revy in the process. Together, CRDL filed out toward the test chamber that lead outside. The last one in line, Russell stopped and faced Jaune, his steely gaze searching Jaune's face for any sign of weakness or deceit. The blonde didn't know what he found, but Russell's expression lit up in a respectful smirk that Jaune would have never expected.

"Thanks, Jaune. For what it's worth, anyway." With that, Russell followed his team back out into the howling cold. JNPR and their pirate comrade watched them go, and soon the chamber was quiet once more.

Before anyone could break the silence that fell over the central chamber, a deep rumble and several metallic clanks filled the area. JNPR and Revy looked all around them as the lights and computers suddenly flickered back to life, filling the chamber will illumination and the quiet chittering of processors and computers humming again for the first time in millenia. After the initial rumble subsided, another softer chime came from the center of the room. To Jaune's relief, a platform elevator descended from above, with a terminal sitting in the middle just waiting for instruction.

Nora was the closest one to the elevator, and she stepped onto it first. She looked back at the rest of the team, then shrugged and pointed at the computer.

"So...going down?"

* * *

"You know, we're going to get really lazy if we keep working with Ghosts." Yang observed dryly, even as the rest of the lights began to shimmer to life within the complex. Beside her, Spark's beam of Light washed over the power converter they had located. According to Switch, part of the reason the facility's failure had been a rupture in the power supply. Whatever had happened, by the time the complex sank deeper into the ocean and became part of the glacier, the fighting had been over. With the precursor Guardians dead and no one to fix the power, it was easy to see how the derelict place faded from history. At least, until the Atlesians found it.

"Oh learn how to repurpose matter and manipulate Arc currents when you can talk about cute boys and show off cat videos?" Spark asked sardonically, flying away from the fixed converter and floating above the generator that it lead to. Yang huffed at her Ghost's words, and she glared at him as he continued to restore power to the grid.

"Oh, pardon me for skipping quantum physics and taking Home Ec instead. Because I _totally_ had access to technology like that before I got stabbed." She shot back. She got a scoff in return, and decided that Blake made better conversation, even when she was being silent most of the time.

"Don't encourage him, Yang. You know he likes to nit pick." Said partner advised, looking around the room they had found curiously as the light returned. When they had reached the bottom of the shaft, Horst and Ruby had agreed to split up to cover more ground. A few more of the armored Geists gave them trouble, their possessed corpses a bit stronger than the ones encountered closer to the surface. The armor was higher in quality, and the corpses better preserved for one reason or another. Regardless of the cause, it made dealing with the Grimm a little more difficult than in their previous encounter. Yang and Ruby were no longer destroying the armor in one hit, unless Weiss gave them an extra boost. As it were, the heiress and Blake were hard pressed to avoid the spectres that weaved in and out of the darkness. Down here in the abyss, even the armor stopped clanking and making the usual noise, cloaked by the power of the Darkness and its feral avatars. As such, Switch and the other Ghosts had found the power fault promptly.

That decision had lead the team deeper into the complex and heading north, where several massive cables and water tubes ran along the ceiling as they went further in. A few corridors and a staircase later, Ruby stumbled into a room filled with strange, enormous hexagonal machines that remained dormant. However, nearly every cable in the room – and there were hundreds – entered one of the three machines. With one in each corner of the triangular room, a very large resevoir of water resided in the center of the room. Switch theorized that the water was used to cool the generators when things got hot, and that activating the power would likely get the water moving again. After they examined the reservoir, Horst and Switch turned back toward the bickering team.

"Yes, and he is quite rude about it." Flake added from Weiss' shoulder as she and Horst examined the databanks in front of them. While many Guardians preferred to let their Ghosts data mine whatever they found and interpret it, there were a few that would rather sort the information themselves. Or in Horst's case, go through it manually so that he didn't get rusty. What was syntax again?

"Stow it, Jeeves. Don't make me come over there and melt you." Spark's threat caused every Guardian in the room to roll their eyes, and even Flake could not suppress a derisive snort.

"With what? Your accuracy is atrocious and your Guardian has all the fire. You're just hot air." Flake's dismissive reply earned a few snickers from Ruby and Summer, but before the two Ghosts could start an argument, a jubilant exclamation from Weiss interrupted the exchange.

"Aha!" The heiress proclaimed, tapping a few more commands into the console before she stepped back. "Flake, can you display this for everyone?" Her Ghost flew over toward the console she had been accessing and scanned it, absorbing the information she had found as Weiss walked out toward the center of the room. The metal grating over the resevoir clanked underneath her boots, and she stood there expectantly as Flake finished mining the data she had found. Once complete, the white Ghost followed his Guardian out to the center and expanded, casting his shell in every direction as he projected the hologram outward from his core. Just as before, a blue-tinted map of the facility appeared in the air, though this one was far more detailed than the one they had seen earlier. In an entire wing of the facility that they had not seen before, grid-like compartments small in size but great in number covered the entire southern portion of the facility, on multiple levels. And directly across the main shaft, several larger research modules were shaped irregularly, likely to allow for the unique experiments performed in each. A large, circular area just on the other side of the shaft glowed a lighter shade of blue, Flake's way of highlighting the Gateway room.

"All of the files and power consumption reports indicated that the Gateway we are searching for is in this room here." Flake advised, his voice echoing due to his disconnected state. "According to the projected the power needs, we'll need to activate a second reactor in order to get the Gateway powered up. The research notes indicate that there has only been one successful test with the device at this site." Flake paused. "Another test was scheduled, but after the day's preliminary report everything is all warnings and power failures. Whatever happened to destroy this facility occurred during the second test." Horst's eyebrows rose within his helmet when he heard that.

"So, whatever killed everyone here came through the Gate? That's not very reassuring. Can you get the destination for the previous test?" He had a nagging feeling where the Gateway had opened, but he wanted to be sure. Flake tittered and blinked a few times as he searched the data, before finally coming up on the time stamp for the experiment.

"According to the date, the destination was in the Sol System, local cluster. Beyond that, the only thing I can find are the letters 'R-S-P-T-N'. I believe this Gate was once controlled by Rasputin." That explained why Rasputin knew the location of Remnant, at least. The mysterious Warmind had been in direct control of a Gateway that lead to the planet! And the odds of Rasputin sending war machines to cull Remnant were higher than Horst was comfortable with.

"That explains how the old man knew where Remnant was." Switch said, ehoing his Guardian's thoughts. "Which makes you wonder; was the power failure caused by the invaders, or did the defenders do it to shut down the Gate?" It was a good question, but Ruby shrugged from her position near the doorway.

"No way to know now. We might as well turn everything on and hope for the best." The leader said nonchalantly as her eyes suddenly lit up with excitement. "Maybe we'll fight a big monster!" Weiss scoffed at her partner's antics, and Blake rolled her eyes as well.

"We still haven't dealt with the Revenant. It was cautious with us after it knocked out Professor Horst. It probably won't challenge all of us in a stand up fight." The Faunus ignored their teacher's irritable growl at the mention of earlier, when the beast had sent him sprawling into la la land. Seriously, what kind of senior Guardian gets knocked out by one punch? "Who knows what will come through when we activate the Gateway?"

Blake paused as if expecting Ruby to reply, but the eager look on the reaper's face had been replaced by a drooling, star struck expression of poor joy.

"That'd be awesome..." Ruby murmured, not reacting in the slightest when Weiss waved a hand in front of her face. Horst palmed his faceplate in exasperation, then turned to face Flake as the Ghost reconstituted himself back inside of his shell.

"Where is that generator room? We're committed to this either way." Horst removed Chimera from his back in one smooth motion, holding the blade at his side as he rolled his free shoulder. "Every second we waste, more Grimm could be on the way. Or worse, Atlas could finally object to us trespassing." Weiss blinked at that; she had forgotten that they were technically in Atlesian territory. The prospect of facing down soldiers and mechs from her homeland was dreadful to consider. If she wanted to fix the Schnee Dust Company, associating it directly with trespassing aliens was not the right direction to take.

"Directly across the way. It should be the first room we find." Flake advised, and flew back over to Weiss where he hovered just above her.

"Alright, we'd better get moving. Ruby!" His stern address finally snapped the reaper out of her daydream, and she looked around quickly once the spell was broken. "Lead the way, please." Without any further prompting, Ruby followed his lead and deployed Crescent Rose in full, and then moved toward the hall. Now that there was light going through the facility, it was less foreboding – in some cases. Fighting the suits of armor meant that the bodies were no longer where they had originally fallen, so thankfully there were no corpses to go with the brown smudges and splashes of long dried blood that appeared here and there on the walls and floors. The defenders of the facility had fought valiantly, as there were numerous bullet holes in the walls as well, but ultimately their struggle had been for naught. Whichever poor soul had managed to upset the power likely earned the facility – hell, maybe even Remnant as a whole – time to prepare and fight off whatever had come through the Gateway.

"So..." Yang intoned from the rear of the group, walking next to Blake as usual and being oddly quiet for a moment. "Professor, how do Guardian abilities usually manifest? Like, do you have to train for a while or what?" Horst quirked a brow, though she couldn't see it, and 'hmm'ed thoughtfully.

"It depends, really. Some cultivate their fighting abilities and come up with it in a controlled environment. Others follow blind instinct and end up discovering a new ability while they fight for their lives." His voice took on a curious tint. "Why, have you noticed anything strange lately?" He didn't really think such young Guardians were already discovering new powers, but given their potential anything could happen. Especially out of Team RWBY. At the mention of strange abilities, Weiss chanced another look at Myrtenaster.

"Well, when we were fighting the Fallen out in the forest, I figured out that I could...sense fire." Yang said with a nervous chuckle. "It was kind of annoying and distracting at first, but later on the fire did what I wanted it to. It stuck to me like a force field, and when my Semblance started powering up, the fire surrounded me. I'm used to my hair igniting, but this was way different. And when I punched that Baron, it all exploded at once." The blonde explained, waving her arms about at the mention of the fiery tornado she had subjected Baron Chaviks to. Blake remained silent at that, content to let her shadow ability go unmentioned if possible. Horst slowed his walk until Weiss passed him, distracted with the facets of her swords as Ruby lead the team toward the lift station. When he was level with Yang, Horst matched his stride with hers.

"Interesting. Did your abilities stem from a single point, focused on your gauntlets or a weapon of flame?" He asked, genuinely curious at the possibilities that Yang presented. With the curveball that was Semblances added to the mix of already incredibly versatile Light abilities, he had no idea what to expect from the young woman. The reason he asked what he did was that Sunbreakers, Titans wielding the flame, often channeled their might through the Hammer of Sol. Yang, however, shook her head.

"No, it just kind of covers me, like a shield of fire. I took more damage than I thought I could, and when I punched that Fallen dude, it sent him into the stratosphere." Yang threw a few punches in front of her on emphasis. "It created a barrier for me, but then it detonated when I really wanted to clobber the guy. And it felt...whoa. It felt awesome." Yang's eyes widened as she held her hands in front of her face, enjoying the memory of that rush of power. Horst frowned at her description. It sounded like she had come up with some kind of Solar variant to the Striker discipline. Arc Light and Solar Light behaved differently though; you could charge and release Arc Light with little consequence, but Solar Light had to be built up gradually, and once it was released it burned with great intensity. The Fist of Havoc would be far more destructive if it left behind an inferno.

"It sounds like quite the ability. Did you have to build up that energy, or did your Semblance provide it?" Given that the Baron landed quite a few strikes on Yang before she literal blew him off of the surface of the planet, her Semblance likely had provided a good bit of power. If she could kickstart her abilities just by taking a punch or two...Horst shuddered at the implications.

"I think my Semblance started it up. Once I started fighting, things got kinda intense, but I remember the fire didn't start until he hit me." The blonde stretched her arm across her chest with the other one, itching to get into it again just thinking about that tantalizing fury she had enjoyed. "What do you think it means?"

"I think you may have discovered a way to manipular Solar energy in a form that it unique to you. Other Guardians would likely have to build up their Light before getting what you had. I'd like to try and recreate it when we have a chance."

"Professor Goodwitch probably wouldn't appreciate you guys turning her training room into a charred crater." Blake admonished with a smirk, the eerie smoke of the Shadestep following behind her like she had just walked out of a burning house. The shadows were sympathetic here, whatever that meant. The dark corners and dim hallways that had filled the facility earlier were menacing, an intimidating lack of Light that choked and strangled everything in it. With the lights on and many of the Grimm destroyed, whatever dark spot she found where the lights had been destroyed or malfunctioned felt like a comfortable chair in the library, something she could just sink into a disappear for a while.

Yang wouldn't be the only one exploring her new powers when they got a chance.

"Eh, she's wanted an excuse to repaint it for a while now...are we getting backup?" Yang questioned as they exited the elevator shaft. Above them, but moving downward at a decent pace, she could barely make out a small flame that flickered on the edge of her senses. It tickled, if that made sense. Horst looked back at the chamber they had just left, causing the rest of them save for Weiss to stop. Wrapped up in her own little world and staring at her weapon once more, the heiress went about eight paces ahead before Ruby stopped her with a gentle hand on her shoulder. Weiss looked up, startled by the interruption, and turned to see her partner looking at her with a worried expression.

"Weiss, are you okay? You seem a little out of it." Ruby asked quietly, so that none of the others could hear. The Schnee heiress blinked a few times, and looked back at her sword to once more find it normal and plain, without the endless abyss of light and metal within it. She'd almost unraveled the mystery behind the blade's strange appearance, but now was not the time. When she looked back at Ruby, the reaper had her brow furrowed out of concern.

"I'm fine, Ruby. Just a little distracted, is all." Wiess deflected, and Ruby frowned at her ineffective dodge.

"You were muttering a list of elements while you stared at your sword. That's a little more than distracted." The team leader retorted, causing Weiss to wince. She hadn't realized how much of a trance she had been in. If something had attacked while she had been distracted, she'd have never reacted in time. _Focus, Weiss!_ She reprimanded herself, even as that strange vision haunted the edge of her thoughts. Rather than deign to reply to Ruby, the heiress scoffed and whirled around to face the newcomers. Ruby let her without a complaint and just watched from behind; they could talk about it later.

A large platform descended from above, following the track in the wall and moving at a decent pace for a cargo lift. When it came to a stop, the contents made Horst growl in irritation. Team JNPR was a welcome sight, with Jaune and Pyrrha back from the boat. However, seeing Revy made Horst stomp towards the five newcomers, flamethrower be damned. Seeing Horst come trudging up, JNPR slid around him towards Ruby and the others as the two adults stared each other down, Revy grinning rebelliously at Horst's impassive faceplate. Whatever was about to pass between the two adults, the students wanted no part of it.

"Why are you down here?" Horst all but snarled, though he'd never admit that he was impressed she had gotten back up so quickly. He'd pulled his punches, but a normal human getting back up so quickly from his blows was still astounding. Revy just kept grinning, though she did point the flamethrower in his direction.

"Fuck you too, Jumbo. I sent the other buncha brats packing and came down here to make sure you do your damn job right." The gunslinger snarled. Horst looked almost as if he was going to wrench the tanks of her flamethrower off of her back, but he did nothing other than stand there and flex his hands. Chimera's deadly tip wavered slightly, but he made move to send her packing.

"I can only think of one reason why you left that boat...is he gone?" Horst asked the last part quietly. Revy's rebellious grin lessened at that, but she didn't answer. She didn't have to; her face said it all. That, more than anything, sapped the Titan of any real motivation to send Revy packing. Without Rock to go back to, Revy had more reason to complete the mission than she had to turn around. Opening the Gateway was the only way Revy would get her partner back, and that was _if_ there were Ghosts on the other side, _if_ the Ghosts judged them worthy of ascension, and _if_ Rock's passive nature didn't disqualify him for Guardianship. Revy was stacked against a lot of 'if's, but Horst felt that she had likely been facing odds like that all of her life.

"Very well. Stay close, and support the kids if things get bad. Do what you know how to do." With that, Horst let her be. A damn sight better than what all these kids were doing, showering her in pitiful looks and remorseful stares when they thought she wouldn't notice. Horst respected her, and for that he let her be. In truth, it was a greater kindness than anything the students were offering.

"Yeah yeah. Let's just get the power on." Her response was to be expected, all rough and indifferent even when everyone knew she was dying inside. A group of partners, each bonded to a teammate similarly to how she had lived for three years. Not one person in the room, save maybe the Titan, could imagine her plight right then. As such, the only thing to do was keep moving forward.

The second generator room was identical to the first in layout, though there were three breaches to the power conduits there. Three concentrated bursts of fire had rendered the wiring all but useless. With anything other than a Ghost, repairs would have taken days and resources not common in Mantle's frozen wastes. Thankfully, Shadow had the shears in the aluminum casing mended and the underlying damage erased within ten minutes. Eerily enough, no Geists appeared, armored or otherwise, and that left the Guardians and Revy to their own devices. Yang and Blake chatted quietly in the corner with Ruby, discussing the tournament that had started in their absence. Weiss stared off into empty space, her eyes unfocused and distant as she wrestled with the strange visions and thoughts that plagued her. Ren and Nora stood near the hallway, watching for any intruders that might interrupt the repairs. Jaune and Pyrrha stood off near one of the main generators, examining the piping that ran from the resevoir into the coolant tanks out of boredom and curiosity. With Revy and Horst in the center of the room, it was this arrangement that saw the power return to the facility.

And it was also in this arrangement that their deeds were repaid. As the lights came back on, what they had all assumed was darkness was revealed to be the Revenant, it's robed form wreathed in smoke as it hung over them like the Grimm Reaper. Blake, being the one among them most in tune with the shadows, was the first to notice the silent creature as it slowly descended from the ceiling. She drew Gambol Shroud from her back and shoved Yang out of the way.

"Up there!" She cried as she shoved her oblivious teammate out of the way, even as the sound of the scuffle and her sudden movement attracted the attention of the others. With Yang and Blake falling out of the way, the Revenant chose its Guardian counterpart as a target. Ruby had Crescent Rose out just in time to block a bone scythe, enormous in size and the same color as the masks usually worn by the Grimm. Ruby lifted her weapon up by the shaft and blocked it with a sturdy stance, but the force of the blow forced her to a knee as the blade stabbed downward inside of her guard, in between her raised arms. The gleaming white blade sat inches away from her face, and the downward point had nearly sunk into her thigh. Inches had decided whether or not Ruby had been impaled. It took the young Guardian a few seconds to process this, but fear did not pervade her being as she stared at the blade. No, she was more indignant than anything. How dare he sneak up on her like that?!

The sound of some scythe-on-scythe action attracted the attention of everyone else in the room, provoking a hiss from the Revenant upon the loss of its element of surprise. Nora herself announced the creature in her most enthusiastic and cheerful tone.

"BOSS FIGHT!"

The beast drew back its weapon and made for a horizontal swipe, one Ruby avoided by flopping onto her back as the blade whistled through the air. Before the Grimm was even done following through with the strike, a wash of flame swept over its side and a staccato burst of rounds came from behind it. Revy bathed the large creature in fire, sweeping it back and forth and high to avoid scorching Ruby as well. On the other side, Jaune opened fire with the Apple of Discord as Pyrrha rushed forward to engage the Revenant. Nora and Ren both held off and swapped to their ranged configurations as well, Nora ready with a grenade or two as soon as the creature was a safe distance away. Blake and Yang scrambled away to prevent standing up just in time to be decapitated, and they rose to their feet several meters away just as the Revenant reared back from Ruby and rushed Jaune instead. In order to reach the blonde as he continued to fire, the creature had to get past Pyrrha. The warrior jumped upward and smashed into the Grimm with her shield, halting its ghost-like flight and forcing it to face her. Horst closed in behind it as another gout of flame rushed past him, barking orders as everyone faced the creature.

"Circle up, watch the crossfire!" He cried, holding Chimera in a guard to prevent any excess flame from finding him. "No more than two in melee at a time. DO NOT hit our people! Don't let it corner you!"

While everyone else circled up around the beast, Weiss stood over in her corner, wandering around at a slow pace with unfocused eyes. The screech and gunfire coming from their engagement did nothing to remove the heiress from her trance. There was too much to see, so much that she could do! The atoms and separated and came together so often as the people and creatures they made up, twisting and turning throughout an infinite cosmos that reflected the most infinitesimal quark in design and complexity. She was no Guardian. Titans bore their way through the universe with brute strength. Stealth and a sharp eye provide what a Hunter needs. Warlocks shaped the world as they saw fit. And she saw all.

As the Revenant swiped and hissed at the harrassing Guardians, Revy was the only one to notice that Weiss was not in the right mind. Snarling and biting back a flood of curses, the gunslinger ambled over to Weiss' side of the arena and stood between the monster and the young Guardian. Weiss showed no sign of noticing Revy's approach, she just kept staring at her hand like it was the most interesting thing in the world, and there wasn't an apparition of evil and darkness duking it out with her teammates.

"Come on, kid, get a grip and pull yourself together." Revy snarled as she looked down at the pressure gauge for the Dragon. Less than a quarter capacity left in the fire slinger. "You may be able to take a hit but it will not feel like a fucking massage!" Damn kids and their magical barriers. Revy gave the heiress a shove, but even that wasn't enough to snap her out of the trance she was in. _Of all the goddamned things!_

Across the way, Horst ducked a flying Yang – got too overzealous and caught a punch to the gut from the Revenant – and turned to see where their support was. Weiss providing glyph control could easily shift the battle into their favor, but the heiress' telltale magical constructs were nowhere to be found. When he focused on Revy and Weiss, he recognized immediately what was happening. Many Guardians entered the war without knowing exactly how their power would manifest. He'd seen Hunters suddenly disappear, and as a result falling into a crater or something following the disorienting experience. He'd seen Titans block a rocket and look down at their hands in surprise, only to catch another three. And right now, Weiss was discovering the strange and wonderous power of the Warlock, right in the middle of a pitched battle with ancient Grimm. _Of all the Traveler damned things!_

"Revy, snap her out of it! Quickly now!" Horst cried, drawing his pistol and peppering the giant Grimm with fire as it swung its scythe in a failed attempt to make contact with Pyrrha. The champion continued to show her aptitude for hit and run attacks, ducking and weaving underneath both the bone blade and the reaper's fist as she struck like lightning, jabbing Milo into whatever looked to cause the most damage. Blake also gave the Revenant her blades, dashing in and out of the rough circle the Guardians had formed around the Grimm. While Pyrrha held its attention, Blake swept in behind and slashed as much as she could before disappearing in a cloud of smoke, only to reappear a few seconds later on the opposite side. With Nora's grenades exploding in its face and bursts of fire coming from Jaune and Ren, the Revenant was quickly becoming frustrated with the team. Its hissing grew more and more savage, occasionally accompanied by a deep, guttural growl as it swung with even greater intensity.

Despite the fact that the Guardians were giving the Revenant everything they had and taking nearly no damage, no progress became apparent. The Grimm showed no signs of damage, its ethereal cloak reforming from the strikes and shots inflicted upon it. Even when Blake and Pyrrha, or Yang before she was tossed away again, made contact with something fleshy, the wounds healed almost instantaneously. Whatever had created this beast, it was proving to be a very durable foe.

Yang landed in a crumpled heap next to Revy and Weiss, releasing a surprised 'oof!' as she rolled to her knees, shaking her head to clear it. Revy sneered at the landing, and raised her flamethrower toward the wispy Grimm as it came charging after the brawler. Just as it reached the three, Revy unleashed her inferno upon it, drawing out a shriek for the first time. Not only that, but for just a few moments, the robes fled from the flames and revealed the Revenant's true form. A protective suit of Grimm bone sat around the armor they had seen earlier. A massive rib cage encompassed the corpse, and the thickened arms and skull above it provided the structure for the creature. But it was clear that the possessed armor, still better preserved than all the others they had seen, was the source of the Revenant's power. If they could destroy the corpse inside, the Revenant would have no host to support it.

"There's the weak point!" Ruby cried with vigor, and shouldered Crescent Rose to fire off a quick shot and end the fight right then. The Grimm must have heard her, however, as the shadowy robes of the Revenant descended from its arms and wrapped around the exposed bones and corpse within. When she fired, the shadows were already protecting the Revenant's core once more. Ruby cursed in a very un-Ruby-like manner, and Revy followed suit in perfect form.

"That asshole's vulnerable to fire, but I don't have much juice left." The gunslinger advised, watching her pressure gauge fall into the red. "Hey Titan Tits, we need some fire down here!" Another weak sputter of flame from Revy, and the Dragon was done. Yang appeared at her side just as the bone scythe came hurtling toward them. The wicked blade came around the shear them all in half, but Yang stepped into the swing and caught the weapon by the haft, causing the point of the blade to stop less than a foot from the still entranced Weiss. The weapon shook as the Grimm tried to power through Yang's block, but the blonde brawler had both hands on the haft of the scythe and wasn't about to let go. Behind the Revenant, Nora and Ruby teamed up and charged in together, Crescent Rose and Magnhild trailing behind and ready to swing. With its weapon detained by Yang, the Revenant was powerless to stop the two from slashing and smashing its back. Another shriek echoed throughout the chamber as they danced beside each other, sidestepping the flailing arm that futilely tried to push them away during the onslaught. When one hand couldn't cut it, a resolute snarl exuded from the hooded monster, and it turned to grasp its scythe once again. Thinking it was going to try and free its weapon from Yang, Ruby and Nora both reared back for heavy blows just as Yang planted her feet in anticipation to wrestle to weapon away from the Revenant. What it did next surprised all three of them.

Two more shadowy arms emerged from the creature's back, appearing out of the darkness of its robes and grabbing both the reaper and the valkyrie around their chests and hurling them away. At the same time, two more hands appeared out of its chest and began to brutally beat Yang about the head and shoulders, shadowy hands hitting harder than any shadow she'd ever encounter before.

"Argh – oh come on, that's not – oof! - very fair! I could use some support here!" Yang yelled, her aura flaring up as she absorbed the damage even as her barrier weakened. A barrage of gunfire came from behind her, but Revy's pistols did nothing to the Revenant as it continued to thrash Yang like a disobedient child. The brawler maintained her hold on the scythe for as long as possible, but after a particularly nasty cross opened up a cut above her right eye and dazed her for a moment, the Revenant lifted both Yang and its scythe off the ground, and shook the weapon as if she were a bunch of cobwebs.

As Yang was swung around in the air like an impromptu flag, Revy turned and all but punched Weiss across the face, the steel pistol in her hand causing the heiress' head to snap around. That done, Revy holstered her Cutlass and shook Weiss by the shoulders. Even still, the young Guardian's eyes were lidded an unfocused.

"Come on, kid. WAKE." SMACK. "THE FUCK." SMACK. "UP!" Her gloved hand went across Weiss' face again and again, and finally some glimmer of recognition passed across the Schnee's face. Either that or her barrier was recharging. Weiss blinked slowly, twice, and slowly looked up at Revy with hazy and unfocused eyes.

"Your team is getting thrashed out here ya little shit!" Revy howled in her face. Now is not the time to freeze up!" As the gunslinging pirate muttered the word _freeze_ , Yang was in the middle of blasting several rounds into the Revenant, clutching onto the scythe as she flew about with one hand as the other punched Ember Celica's incendiary rounds into the shadows of its robes.

In this existential crisis that she suffered, Weiss latched onto that word, _freeze_. It embodied a lot of things. Home, and its cold and bitter meaning. Her favorite ice cream, with mint chocolate and so cold it froze your teeth. And the way she always wanted things to just slow down, when everything spiraled out of control. She wanted everything to stop, to stand still.

To freeze.

The blast of cold that ushered forth from the little Schnee was all consuming and instantaneous. Yang's hair, covered in flames as her Semblance raged as an inferno, was extinguished and she fell from her perch. As another wave issued forth from the heiress, it brought with it all the water vapor in the chamber; a frozen mist that blasted outward and bit like a million tiny icicles. Revy backed off, shielding her face with her hands as the bitter wind swirled through the complex. And the temperature continued to drop as Weiss glared daggers into Revenant's exposed core. The creature could not begin to hiss or growl, raising a hand of its own to shield from the blizzard that began to form. The room dropped from 20 degrees Celcius to 10 in an instant. Ice began to form on the exposed skin of the Guardians, all except for Weiss. She was immune to the frozen assault that she unknowingly inflicted upon her allies and enemy alike. One more pulse shattered the air around Weiss, this one by far the strongest as the ambient temperature in the room plummeted even further, and just as she demanded, everyone froze.

The Revenant stopped healing its shadow as soon as Weiss' influence washed over it, ice forming a secondary layer of frosty shin that cracked and streaked as the creature strained to move. However, despite its rebellion against her, the Grimm could not free itself from her overwhelming power. Arrayed around the creature, JNPR and the rest of RWBY suffered a similar dilemma. Pyrrha remained frozen in place, hoisting her shield up to cover bother herself and Jaune as the blonde kept his pulse rifle trained on the Grimm. He had been so focused on the creature, Weiss' first two pulses had not affected his aim until he'd been frozen solid. Ren and Nora had been less prepared; Nora was in the middle of transferring Magnhild into its grenade launcher form when she got hit, leaving her with one arm up to shield herself while the other held her still morphing weapon. Ren had turned away from the blast, giving his back to it in a futile attempt to stave off the cold. Ruby stood next to Horst, her weapon in slack hands as she watched Weiss convert their battle arena into an icebox, and the Guardians were the popcicles.

Around the room, eight barriers were depleted immediately and eight Guardians were exposed to severe frostbite and tissue damage as the temperature dropped to as low as negative forty degrees celcius. They literally froze solid, skin coated in ice and an icy blue palor coloring their faces. The only one unaffected, or rather the only one still alive, was Horst.

"W-Weiss." The Titan shivered out, his position next to Ruby precarious even with his hardened suit. The seals of his complete suit of armor had protected him from a majority of the cold, but now instead of being killed instantly, he suffered from extreme frostbite and cold exposure as his armor failed to protect him from Weiss' magical chill. His pitiful utterance was beneath her; she had a monster to slay, and there was no time for anything else.

Striding with the purpose she embodied, Weiss' confident steps clicked throughout the frozen silence, passing her stricken teammates with neither a glance nor a word. The Light compelled her, drove her to end the dark creature that hovered in glorious, frigid agony in front of her. The hole Yang had torn in its shroud revealed the corpse within, and no amount of strain allowed the Revenant to move. It could only watch, helpless, as she drew Myrtenaster from her belt. The tip of her sword was an idea as much as a weapon; she stood as a bastion against the Darkness. Granted glorious purpose, it was her duty and her _right_ to cut down every creature that served the Darkness until nothing remained but Light and peace. That was the point that she drove home, even as Myrtenaster's tip punched through the helm and chest of the armor within the Revenant, three neat holes destroying the armor and her Light purifying the creature's core. As soon as the damage was done, she stepped away and allowed the unworthy Grimm to fall apart at its leisure. The temperature elevated slightly as she smirked, watching the shroud that had once shielded the Revenant begin to dissipate into the air. The skeletal frame soon followed, and the original possessed armor crashed to the ground with a loud clatter of frozen metal.

With the Revenant destroyed, Weiss took a settling breath and concentrated; at her whim, the uncompromising cold ebbed away as warmth returned to the chamber. As soon as it did, Ruby, Blake, Yang, and JNPR dematerialized immediately, their bodies claimed by their Ghosts as they returned to the living world a few moments later. When Ruby landed from her resurrection, she blinked in surprise at the warmth in the room.

"Whoa! Man, that was cold." The reaper said with a chuckle, rubbing her arms as she enjoyed the lack of mind numbing cold. Blake's ears were still flat against her skull, and Yang stretched languidly as her Semblance provided a much needed heat wave in her general area.

"Eh, it was alright. Nothing a little Yang can't solve." The brawler bragged. Across the room, the members of JNPR struggled to come to terms with what they had just endured. Pyrrha uncharacterisitically clung to Jaune of all things, and even Weiss could hear her shuddering breaths as she reminded herself that she was indeed alive. Jaune took it better, his eyes closed as he stroked his girlfirend's hair and hugged her protectively. Ren and Nora clung to each other as well, Nora casting worried glances at Weiss while they took a few stabilizing breaths of their own. Ruby to her side and saw Horst standing as still as they were, and was just in time to see him collapse to the floor in pain. The reaper ran to his side as Horst began to convulse, his arms and legs flailing in a feeble fit as his nerve endings fired off with pain and confusion. Yang and Blake joined Ruby at his side just as the convulsions ceased, and their senior Guardian finally expired from his exposure to the cold. Ruby held out a hand as Switch materialized, lending him her Light to speed Horst's resurrection.

As soon as his boots landed on the concrete floor, their mentor stalked toward Weiss with body language that eerily reminded her of Jacques Schnee, shoulders forward and pace quick as if he were about to cuff her ear. The heiress lifted her chin in a challenge, but Horst was having none of it as he wrapped his iron grip around one of her shoulders.

"What are you-" Before she could get more than that out, Horst shook her whole body back and forth.

"Don't you EVER do anything like that again!" The fury in his voice drew even more parallels to her father, and Weiss' mulish attitude flared up in the face of that resemblance.

"Hey, I took the beast down. At the very least, you should be thanking me!" Honestly, she had done them all a favor, dispatching the menace as quickly as she had. Sure, things had gotten a little out of hand, but it was nothing they couldn't handle. They were Guardians, right?!

"You didn't stop to think of the consequences!" Her rebuttal only further enraged the Titan, who refused to relase her shoulder even as his iron grip dug deeper into her shoulder. "You fired off the first thing that came to mind with no consideration for your teammates! Such behavior is reckless and irresponsible, and you killed your entire team!"

"Look around!" She exploded, her arm coming up and smacking his hand from her shoulder as she swept a hand around the room. "They're alright, aren't they?" Her demand was made in indignant fury, but it was enough to make Ruby wince behind the Titan. Horst's anger she could understand, but Ruby's reaction concerned her. Having been killed before, Ruby and Yang had taken resurrection more easily than the rest, so she couldn't have done that much...

Ruby's eyes – full of sadness and regret – were focused on a point past both Horst and Weiss. As she looked around, all of the other Guardians were looking past her. Pyrrha had finally recovered from the frozen attack, and now she was focused on whatever stood behind Weiss. Her left hand clung to Jaune's tightly, while her right covered her mouth in horror. And as she slowly turned to look, the reason hit struck Weiss colder than even the blizzard she had just summoned. All of her teammates were nigh immortal, resurrecting space warriors...except for one. In her bid to end the fight with her newfound power, Weiss had simply written off the risk as an acceptable hazard and dropped the temperature without question – even as Revy had clutched at her jacket.

Now, Rebecca Lin stood in stasis, covering her face with both hands as she had when the chill had first been inflicted. Without the barriers and bodysuits granted to Guardians, she had borne the full brunt of Weiss' attack unprotected. Now, her skin gleamed like porcelain, reflecting the light of the ancient sources above as she stood frozen in place. No breath ghosted from her shielded mouth, no sign of life could be seen coming from the gunslinger.

"Oh no..." Weiss' horrified whisper came from her covered mouth as her eyes grew wide with surprise. She had killed Revy, frozen her in place in the middle of a battle because she had forgotten the woman's very existence. All because she thought herself God; a being capable of bending the very universe to her will. She had made a foolish decision, and Revy had paid the price. It made her want to scream.

"Maybe, maybe I can thaw her out." Weiss stammered, her hand going to Myrtenaster once more as she worked out how to thaw a person as quickly as possible. Before she could draw her blade, however, Horst's gauntlet wrapped around her hand and stayed the weapon.

"No, Weiss." He said firmly, but in a subdued tone. "There's nothing you can do for her." Flake appeared in front of Weiss, the calm blue of his eye doing nothing to sooth her growing panic.

"Madame..." The Ghost began gently. "Thawing Miss Revy out at this point would only serve to prolong her suffering. She would still die, but the thawing process as well as the damage to her cellular structure would leave her in agony. It is better that she remain as she is." As she continued to stare at Revy's frozen form, Weiss barely registered Ruby approaching from her left. The reaper grimaced at seeing her partner in such dire straights, knowing that Weiss would never intentionally hurt a teammate like she had, even one as callous and unapproachable as Revy. But this accident came with serious and heavy consequences. Ruby could do nothing more than place a consoling hand on Weiss' shoulder as the heiress slumped to the floor, and the tears began to fall. With nothing else they could do, JNPR and the rest of Weiss' team looked on.

* * *

On board the _Black Lagoon_ , Dutch stiffened in the middle of his movement, stopping as he covered Rock's form with a better sheet than he'd used last time. With Revy gone, it needed doing to prevent even further damage when the big come down finally hit. But even as he considered it, an unnatural chill creeping down his back as he looked down at Rock's peaceful face. Beside him, on the table where Revy had assembled her flamethrower earlier, the cigarette she had left behind smoldered still. With no one to drag on it, the tobacco had burned slowly and unimpeded. But now, even though it was only half burned, Dutch watched as the embers died suddenly and completely, another light in the near darkness snuffed out. Dutch stared at the cigarette for a moment, then looked back down at Rock.

"Hmmm." Dutch trusted his gut more than anything. And right now it was telling him to call Revy and check on her. Somehow, though, he doubted he was going to like what he heard.


	26. Chapter 26

Lessons learned the hard way, Miss Schnee, are often the ones we remember most vividly.

* * *

 **Chapter 26**

The text only communications had begun to bore Spirit, and she thanked the Traveler when the House of Giants appeared to tire of it as well. Hope had garnered enough of an understanding in the dialect the Giants used to hasten her translations, but it still took a few minutes for each sentence to be processed. And the ceremony! Fallen in general were not known for their traditions and procedure, but between the translations and the proper way that the messages were articulated Spirit just knew that the Giants' Kell was fucking with her. In the end, though, she relented and gave them the location of the Sol System, though she went no farther than that for security reasons. Hell, Zavala would try to strangle her as it was.

As she watched the strange House of Giants leave the system, flashing out into the dark abyss in search of the Traveler, her next worry became the House of Scars that were playing ring-around-the-Remnant with her, using the planet as cover to keep her guessing. According to her sensors they had not made landfall, and they had run the same route over and over again in their evasion. The _Infinite Sky_ could chase them down if she pushed it, but as it stood a Ketch focused entirely on her ship could potentially destroy it. Too many guns pointed in too many directions.

"What if we boarded them with the _Infinite Sky_?" Spirit wondered out loud. She passed the idea between herself and Hope, since no one else was onboard, but her Ghost proved to be enough of a counter argument anyway.

"Their cargo bay door may be locked open, but I don't believe we could approach it at a safe landing speed without attracting too much fire." Hope said in confusion. Surely Spirit already knew that? A devious smile crept across the Awoken's face, and Hope shuddered at the expression her Guardian wore. Landing in the cargo bay was out, clearly, but what about landing in the engine room?

"Retract all exposed guns and see if we can flash weld any extra plating to the nose and wings." Spirit ordered with a maniacal glint of madness in her eyes; truth be told, she'd always wanted to do this. "Let's see if they can handle us at ramming speed."

"Even with additional plating, the damage to the _Infinite Sky_ will be severe," Hope cautioned. "If we force their reactor to go critical, I may not be able to repair the ship in time for departure." Not to mention being surrounded by the enemy onboard their ship, but Spirit seemed confident that wouldn't be an issue. As it stood, it was now up to Hope to angle and layer enough plating to survive a head on collision with a (damaged) fFallen Ketch. No easy task, to be sure.

"Angle the final impact upward, into the throne room. I'd rather run over their Kell than their engines. It'd save me the fight, too." Spirit said as she watched her instruments track the _Lesson Learned_ as it finished its circle around the beautiful blue planet they orbited. Apparently, the Fallen were done playing hide and seek now that their quarry had jumped system. She knew not why this middling House dared to focus on their rivals rather than the clear and present threat before them. Blood feuds and grudges existed across time and space, but to dismiss a clearly dangerous foe in favor of settling a score was the height of folly. And it was up to Spirit to drive that lesson home.

"It's going to take roughly three minutes to apply the plating." Hope advised, already phasing through the bulkhead and welding on the exterior plates. Spirit nodded absently and resecured her helmet, the goggled visage reflecting the light from her displays in a calming white aura. The Hunter sat down at the helm, pulling up status updates and sensors on the engines manually since Hope was otherwise engaged. The battle had left the _Inifinite Sky_ a little roughed up, but she suffered no lasting damage outside of what a paint job could cure. Of course, what she was about to inflict on the poor jumpship would far outstrip the damage it had already suffered.

"Sorry, old girl." Spirit apologized, rubbing the console's metal frame lovingly. "This will probably hurt a lot." There were inherent risks, as always. During a particularly grueling battle above Venus, Spirit's precious ship had nearly been scattered across the planet by a particularly skilled squadron of Fallen pilots. Had it not been for Horst and – though she was loathe to admit it – Magnus' timely help, her legend would have ended above Venus' poisoned skies. Despite the fact that the House of Scars possessed no known remaining fighters and their Ketch was terribly damaged, the danger remained that the _Infinite Sky_ would not survive. If that were the case, there would only be one ship capable of traveling between Remnant and the Solar System. Even with Horst and the others working on the Gateway system, the _Infinite Sky_ was still a pivotal piece on the board. There was no guarantee that the Gateway would work, or even that it would lead to Earth. And the _Iron Symphony_ was no dropship.

Bearing that in mind, Spirit still prepared for the kamikaze rush. A few keystrokes here, and all noncritical systems were shut down to conserve power. A slide on the console there, and the weapon racks in the cargo bay collapsed into the decks and bulkheads of the _Infinite Sky_ , protecting the armor and weapons displayed as well as adding to the ship's superstructure. This was not the first time the tactic had crossed her mind. This was, however, the first time she would implement it on a target larger than her ship.

 _If there was another course of action that didn't leave a rogue Ketch floating around, I'd take it._ She grinned despite the thought. _Besides, now I'll have a good story for the kids._

"Are you about done, Hope?" Spirit asked, the rising thrill of charging straight into an enemy Ketch starting to get her blood going. It was a life or death thing, the kind of pulse pounding exhilaration that Hunters lived for. Titans were satisfied with a job well done, and Warlocks would rather discover something new than do something crazy. Hunters were the thrill seekers, and Spirit was starting to get it bad.

 _"_ _Fortifications are nearly complete. Are you SURE you're ready for this?"_ Bless her heart, the Ghost was actually worried. _"_ _This won't be like landing or rolling through an asteroid."_ Spirit didn't regret rolling her eyes, even though she knew her Ghost could see her.

"We don't have the ammunition to take it down with conventional weaponry, and we've patched this bird up before. Just make her ready and we'll see where this takes us." There was impatience in her voice this time, and she could hear the Ghost grumbling on the other line. Which was odd, because Hope didn't really grumble a lot. Oh well. She didn't have time to worry about that, there was murdering to be done!

 _"_ _Alright, I'm done out here. Ready when you are."_ Hope blipped out of sight and reappeared in the cockpit once more, preening her ceramic feathers in irritation as Spirit prepared to ransack not one, but two ships. One of them the Ghost would probably be fixing for the rest of the expectant future. The Hunter looked back into the crew bay one more time, seeing that the furniture had collapsed into the walls and floors in line with the weapon racks and work tables. She'd probably have a couple dozen sockets floating around the crew bay, but those were a dime a dozen when you could reform metal.

 _Tools, check. Weapons, check. Armor, check. Oh, my helmet!_ Spirit quickly secured her helm, just in case she lost atmosphere within the ship. You could never predict what would happen in these cases.

"HERE WE GO!" Spirit hollered with glee as she pushed the controls forward, sending the _Infinite Sky_ into a steep dive toward the southern pole of the planet. As she did, a holographic display popped up to her right, bearing Remnant, the shattered moon, and two flashing triangles pointing downward. According to the instruments, the House of Scars were directing their Ketch toward the northern pole in an attempt to cross overtop of the planet. With the angle that they were traveling, she would have to course correct a little bit before hitting the cargo bay.

"Find me an intersect point." She ordered, and Hope's calculations began dancing across the hologram as the Hunter pulled her ship out of its dive and angled it upward toward the Ketch, which was just barely in sight past Remnant's horizon. Another screen in front of her pulled up a magnified image of the craft, and a surge of malicious pride rose up through her chest. The Ketch was even more badly damaged than she had first thought. Ragged holes in her hull vented crew, cargo, and atmosphere into the void of space, and only two of the three engines glowed brightly. If she softened it up with some approaching fire, the odds of punching through with less damage increased tenfold.

Just by grabbing the fire control handle, her weapons systems came online. Piloting with one hand and selecting her weapons with the other, Spirit extended the 30mm chaingun on the nose of the _Infinite Sky_ as she increased her speed. The Ketch began to creep closer and closer, growing in her display as a timer appeared above the holographic display. In thirty seconds, judging by the velocity and position of both craft, the Ketch and the _Infinite Sky_ would collide, and whatever preparation Spirit needed to make had that minus five seconds. Selecting a few holographic buttons on the gunner's side, too far from the seat to actually control them, Spirit had two pods of missiles lock onto the Ketch and released them, sixteen hisses of burning gas echoing above her as the missiles streaked toward their target.

Opening fire attracted the attention of the surviving crew, and the Fallen aboard the ship struggled to face her with their remaining guns. Bolts of condensed Arc energy danced through space towards Spirit and her ship, passing the missiles she had sent at high speed. The _Infinite Sky_ dodged as nimbly as she could make it, narrowly pulling through the cloud of fire as more blasts issued forth from the Ketch. The Hunter continued to dodge and weave as best she could while staying on course, and soon she was close enough to open up with the chaingun. As soon as fourteen gouts of fire impacted with the Ketch's underbelly – two of her missiles had intercepted the bolts fired from the Fallen's guns – Spirit squeezed the trigger.

A vicious buzz from in front of her rattled through the controls, and she watched as a line of tracers danced all around the impact site. According to further reports – _ten seconds_ – the Ketch lost a lot of plating from her missiles. As such, the _Infinite Sky's_ nose gun tore through the underlying decks as if they were wet tissue paper, ventilating the warship even further than it had already been. Spirt gave another long burst as she drew closer before retracting the gun back into the ship, lest it be shorn away by the impact. The magnified view of the Ketch disappeared as it loomed in her viewport, so close that magnification was no longer necessary. As she neared it, Spirit realized that she was coming in at too shallow of an angle. Punching through at this distance would drive them straight along the keel into nothing but reinforced structure. The angle was wrong. Just before impact, Spirit gritted her teeth as she jerked backward on the controls, flaring the _Infinite Sky's_ thrusters and causing the ship to angle upward at the last moment.

"Raise the blast doors!" She cried  
Just as the abused hull of the Ketch was ready to crash through the viewport of the cockpit, two sets of heavy, armor plated metal gates slid up from inside. Before they even secured, a great cacophony of scrapes, rumbles, screeching metal and rending steel could be heard as she emptied the throttle, killing the engines to prevent any secondary explosions. As such, the heavy metal slug that was the _Infinite Sky_ punched through the bottom of the Ketch like a giant bullet. Her wings tore through decks and were dented and broken inward by the force. Her body bounced between support beams as decks opened in front of her forceful entry. Her engines flared in protest as Spirit worked the throttle. Even though she was not attempting to steer, the controls kicked like a mule.

Upon making contact with the House of Scars' flagship, Spirit had underestimated two things: the damage their ship had taken from both the House of Giants and the Guardians, and the amount of thrust she had put behind the _Infinite Sky_. With the blast doors down and sensors scrambled from crashing into a larger ship, Spirit did not realize what had happened until Hope supplied the details.

 _"_ _Raising exterior cameras. We still have not stopped."_ The Ghost advised as she flitted to the gunner's seat. Spirit released the death grip she had held on the throttle and looked back at her partner incredulously.

"Are you crazy?" She yelled over the suspiciously quiet crash they had endured. "We'll lose them to the Fallen or the crash!" Before Spirit could protest further, a video feed from outside the _Infinite Sky_ showed a very different story from what Spirit had assumed. "Oh."

On the small screen in front of her, Nothing but deep space greeted the camera. Another feed popped up, across the top of the ship facing aft, and the Fallen Ketch was brought into focus. Or rather, what was left of it. When she had gunned the engines and set the thrusters to full burn, Spirit had anticipated cutting through a quarter, _maybe_ half the ship before enough metal, generator, and flesh got in the way to stop her jumpship. Unfortunately for the Ketch, the combined strain of two space battles and shocking in with hull breaches had weakened the superstructure enough that Spirit hadn't punched a hole into the ship; she had punched through the whole ship. Instead of boarding and having a breakneck, against-all-odds fight with Fallen pouring out of every door, she watched as secondary explosions rocked the Ketch and its orbit began to decay. The Fallen could be seen flowing out from all breaches, everything from Dregs to Captains claimed by the choking void of space. Their ether supplies varied from pirate to pirate, but no Fallen was prepared for a space walk longer than a few hours. Forced to choose between a slowly suffocating spacewalk or a fiery death by re-entry, the Fallen were condemned to death in either case. Spirit certainly wasn't going to pick up hitch hikers.

"Status report." Spirit said numbly, still kind of put out that she had missed the ground battle by hitting too hard. Enough of her sensors had survived to tell that three Skiffs survived the destruction, two of them shocking out as soon as they won free from the wreckage of their mother ship. The remaining Skiff descended toward the planet, likely plotting a crash course for the Ketch. From what she could tell by the holographics, Remnant's ocean was about to get a very large reef.

 _"_ _Forward missile batteries have damage to their bay doors, preventing launch. Moderate hull damage along keel near the bow, nothing serious. Extra plates were stripped off, and significant burns and impact damage to thruster three."_ Hope reported dutifully, though there was awe in her voice. _"_ _Beyond that, only a few radio antennae missing. We got lucky there."_ Spirit could not help but agree. She'd anticipated critical reactor damage, or even losing an entire wing. The kind of damage where she would have cleared out the Ketch entirely before repairs would have been completed. It was nice to be on the fair side of luck for a change.

"Shut down three and compensate with trajectory thrusters until we get it repaired. Any damage to the viewport?" In response to her question, the blast doors in front of her slowly crept upward, a few scraping and grinding noises to accompany them. When they cleared, however, the blackness of space greeted her vision once more. A few deep scratches and a crack near her side of the cockpit summarized the damage to the viewport. The _Infinite Sky_ had played chicken with a much larger ship and survived.

 _I wonder if Horst is doing as well as I am._ Spirit allowed a smug sense of accomplishment for a moment, then turned to where Hope had been flitting around a console.

"Call the ground team, see how that Gateway is coming along. In the mean time, find us somewhere to land. The Fallen are beaten, and we have a tournament to observe." Hope did not reply, but instead the familiar static of a comm channel echoed through her head. A bit of feedback caused her to wince in annoyance, before Hope finally was able to compensate for the damges from the crash.

 _"_ _Is that you, Spirit?"_ Horst's voice echoed through the cockpit as well as her connection to Hope. The Hunter smiled at hearing his voice, though she did note he seemed subdued.

"It's me, lover boy. The Fallen Ketch is now a floating scrap heap and I am heading your way. Have you found the Gateway yet? Is it operational?" This time Horst was silent, and she knew that something was amiss.

 _"_ _Yes, we've located the Gateway. Switch will have it operational shortly. However, we've had a casualty."_ Horst would not be so calm if they had lost one of the kids, but that meant that someone from the pirate crew they had hired was likely deceased.

"Who did we lose?" She asked quietly. If Horst had his helmet on, their conversation was entirely private, but it was clear that a difficult task sat in front of Horst.

 _"_ _We lost Revy, Lagoon's gunslinger. Weiss...Spirit, Weiss is a Cryomancer. And we found out in a bad way. She froze everything down here, the Grimm, the team...and one of us can't resurrect. The rest of the team is fine, but I have to explain to Dutch how one of ours killed one of his, and Weiss is devastated."_ Spirit let a grimace cross her features; friendly fire was the worst way for a comrade to die. It had two victims: the departed, and the person responsible. In Guardians one could be more reckless since your comrades could return to life with some concentration and an application of Light, but that was one of the reasons why Guardians and soldiers did not work together. As destructive as the Guardians were, refining that damage to only affect the enemy was nearly impossible. Sending a mortal alongside impervious machines of destruction just begged for casualties. And now Weiss was responsible for killing a friend.

"I'm on my way. Is she contained? Has she got her powers under control?" Even as Spirit asked, she maneuvered her battered ship toward the northern hemisphere of Remnant and pushed it toward the horizon.

Cryomancers were a rare but powerful sect of Warlocks that didn't control Solar Light so much as they did its absence. Their powers involved ice and its many applications, and a frozen battlefield was often their calling card. If two or three of them got together, rumor had it that they could freeze time itself, though the relation between their frigid powers and time was a secret. Not long after the inception of the discipline, the first Cryomancers had departed the Tower in favor of finding a reclusive sanctuary to train their powers. Zavala and his Guardians had attempted to make contact from time to time, but without success. The Warlock sect were within the Solar System to be close to the Traveler, but they had traveled beyond the Reef and into facilities and planets that had not been seen since the Collapse.

Their recruitment was another cause of concern. Cryomancers did not despise the Sun, but its presence affected their powers and weakened them slightly. A Cyomancer in deep space, far from a star, was infinitely more powerful than one standing on Earth. Even so, Warlocks recruited by the Cryomancers often were described as distant and aloof, almost in a trance like state. Shortly thereafter, they would disappear, little more than a faint radar signature beyond the farthest comm buoy. If Weiss was a Cryomancer, would she heed the same calling? And she had just killed a teammate in error! If her powers were dangerous before, whatever turmoil that the girl was going through now could trap the entire team in that icy prison.

 _"_ _Her powers have abated for the moment. Right now, Ruby and I have been able to keep her stable. She just...it's a harsh lesson for her to learn."_ If that wasn't an understatement, Spirit would eat her cloak. As she began re-entry into Remnant's atmosphere, Spirit gritted her teeth at the increased chop. Losing a thruster had really made planetfall more rough.

"I'm on my way down. Keep things calm, and I'll be there soon. Although I may need some help with repairs."

 _"_ _Understood. See you when you get here."_ With that, the comm when dead. Spirit could tell that Horst was distressed at the hardship his students were facing. She burned through the atmosphere and hurtled toward Mantle, hoping that she got there in time to prevent an ice bomb from going off.

* * *

The general consensus of the team was, ironically, cold. Ruby, Blake, and Yang were clustered around Weiss as the heiress wept freely, clinging to the frozen leg of the Revy statue she had created. JNPR had taken it upon themselves (been ordered) to clear the rest of the facility and try to find an entrance topside. Horst had watched over Weiss for a time, but eventually he had to continue the mission and stepped into the Gate Chamber, where Switch worked to resurrect a millenia-old technology. Thankfully both 'resurrection' and 'technology' were two things Ghosts were experts in.

But there was no one there to resurrect Revy. While her team looked on, the proud Schnee heiress lamented her mistake as she clung to her victim, blubbering apologies like a little girl that had broken her father's vase. Ruby rubbed her back consolingly, but the young leader was looking at her other teammates for something – ANYTHING – that could help Weiss' dilemma. Unfortunately all she found were saddened, hollow expressions.

"I'm sorry...I'm so sorry. I didn't mean to, I swear! I just..." Weiss was relentless in her apologies, though the one she meant them toward could no longer hear them. She felt crushed all over again. Just when she thought she had control of the situation, of her new powers, she was shown just how little control she had. Like when she had trained under her father; learning and accomplishing a new skill, only to be shown with brutal honesty how outclassed she was. Only this time it was not Jacques Schnee sneering down at her, but the pained expression of a comrade and friend. Weiss had long given up on her father's approval, but that of her friends was irreplacable. And she didn't know what hurt worse: the frozen Revy that was killed by her own hand, or the fearful expressions on Pyrrha and Nora's faces. She was an outcast, a monster, one not to be trusted or protected on this world full of demons.

"Weiss, it wasn't your fault." Ruby whispered softly, but Weiss swatted her arm away angrily. When she turned around, Weiss' eyes were puffy and red and wild. Yang and Blake stepped back a few paces, leaving Ruby alone with her stricken partner.

"WASN'T MY FAULT?! The Hell it wasn't! Explain to me exactly HOW this wasn't my fault!" Weiss all but screamed at her partner, her team leader. Her friend. Ruby winced at the heat in that statement, though she knew the anger and frustration wasn't directed at her. It was directed at Weiss herself. The same critical sentiment she had always applied towards herself to stay on top, make no mistakes, and advance to success was now tearing her apart. Ruby stepped closer and wrapped her arms around her friend, holding on even as Weiss tried to shake her off.

"You didn't mean to do it! You were just trying to save everyone, trying to kill the Grimm!" Ruby urged, feeling the air around them begin to grow colder as Weiss' self-control came unraveled even more.

"NO! I finally figured it out, and I STILL killed her! I should have known! I saw everything, but why couldn't I see what I was doing to her?!" Weiss shook herself again, trying to rid herself of Ruby and the horrible burdening weight she felt about her shoulders. And Ruby wasn't that heavy.

"You've been feeling weird ever since we got down here. You can't tell me that you were thinking straight when we caught you staring at her sword like it was talking to you!"

"It WAS!"

"See, that's crazy talk! You can't be responsible for killing someone if you're talking to swords!" That wasn't enough to make her smile or laugh – the wound was too fresh, the loss too recent – but that was enough to make Weiss stop in her self deprecating rant for a second. Before she could come up with something bad to say, Yang cut in from the side.

"Ruby, you talk to Crescent Rose all the time." Blake nodded as well, and Ruby stood up from Weiss' spot on the ground and glared at her sister indignantly.

"That's totally different! I talk to Crescent Rose, she doesn't talk back!" Ruby scolded, and Yang had to turn her head to hide a grin before Blake smacked her on the shoulder. Now was not the time.

"I don't think any of us are really sane in this life." The voice of their teacher came from the Gate Chamber, and they all turned to see Horst standing near the wall. "To choose an eternity of death and carnage and face every day with a grin and determination, defies even the most generous logic. No Guardian can be considered anything less than crazy for taking up this banner. But Warlocks in particular have a more difficult time of it than most." The Titan said as he walked toward them, Switch absent from his shoulder. The Ghost was probably still working on the Gateway.

"I don't see anyone else killing our friends." Weiss offered bitterly, drying her eyes as best she could and standing. Even though she seemed calmer, the heiress still refused to stray from Revy's frozen corpse, as if adding her proximity would grant absolution. Horst looped an arm around Weiss' shoulders and gently pulled her away, toward Ruby and the others and away from Revy.

"There are reasons just like this that Guardians work on their own. Or rather, that they operate separately from the City's soldiers." Horst murmured as they walked toward the Gateway. Even despite his huge form, Weiss still managed to look back at the gunslinger, still frozen in place. Weiss stared at the statue for a few more seconds, then the rest of her team mercifully picked up the rear and hid Revy from view. With her failure hidden, Weiss' eyes tracked to the next available target, and she shared a grieved look with Ruby. They locked gazes for a few seconds, just long enough for Ruby to give an understanding nod. Ruby understood better than the rest of their team, except maybe Horst, the pain of striking a teammate down. Unlike Weiss, however, the comrade that Ruby had killed was walking them further into the facility. Revy was doomed to remain where she was, mortal and frail. It was all so unfair.

"You cannot blame yourself for the outcome of battle when you discovered your abilities literally seconds before using them. I should have seen the signs, especially since you were staring off into space more often than I had ever seen before. Warlocks have a different point of view than the rest of the Guardians, because of what their abilities allow them to see. I only wish that you had told me about these visions before we came down here." There was no scorn, malice, or reproach in Horst's voice, only concern and regret. But it was a rebuke to Weiss all the same, in her eyes. If she had gone to their senior Guardian, maybe Revy would still be alive.

"We shouldn't have let her come down here. I should have said something. She protected me and I killed her!" Weiss clenched her eyes shut and shook her head, not wanting to hear the excuses they made for her. It was not right for them to try and rationalize what she had done, try to mitigate her crime. She had KILLED someone! And a comrade at that!

"You didn't see what she did to the last person that tried to stop her." Blake said in her somber tone. "She nearly neutered Cardin on the spot when he told her to stay behind. You think someone like her would take orders from a Schnee? Or anyone for that matter? There's a reason Professor Horst had to knock her out to get her back on the boat." Weiss turned away from Blake, seeking solace in Horst's cool metal chestplate. Yang did help matters much either.

"Professor Horst knocking her out didn't keep her down either. She was gone for, what, forty-five minutes? If that?" The blonde cast a remorseful glance back at the frozen statue they left behind. "She was stubborn and wanting to save her friend. There was no stopping her, Weiss."

The heiress finally had enough, and the tears started flowing again as she jerked away from Horst, who let her leave his grasp without resistance. She needed some time to herself, time to come to terms with what she had done. Ruby stayed behind to look after Weiss, kneeling down next to the heiress but keeping far enough away that she didn't encroach on the young woman's personal space. The other three continued into the Gateway Chamber.

The Chamber itself was quite large, built to accommodate both the Gateway and its control systems. A control panel constructed in a rough semicircle sat about forty paces from the Gateway, its surface blinking with lights and a few displays. The Gateway itself was a marvel to look at. From Blake's perspective, it appeared to be made of stone, were it not for the minute differences in the material. It caught the like too well, was reflective in places smooth stone would not be. The grooves along the large ring also suggested moving parts, something a structure composed of stone could not accomplish alone. Indecipherable symbols covered the arch, strange characters that looked like letters at each keystone on the ring. There were seven keystones in all, but none of them were lit up. Switch hovered near the control panel, not looking up at three that walked in.

"You know, if it weren't for us Ghosts, you Guardians would have to be a lot smarter to be as effective as you are." Horst's partner offered in his usual biting tone. Unfortunately, Horst was in no mood for it today.

"Keep it to yourself, Switch. Just get the job done." The last thing the kids needed to hear was a smart mouth right now. Blake and Yang seemed to be the more level headed of the team at the moment, but one insensitive comment about Revy or Guardians would probably be enough for Switch to become a hole in the wall. And Horst wasn't inclined to stop that at this time.

"Alright, alright. Dialing in the coordinates now. The system only has a few two-way destinations, so it wasn't hard to find Earth." As he sent a few more beams of Light into the console, the ring of the Gateway began to spin. As it did so, a loud clack of locking metal came from each keystone, illuminating one of the alien symbols each time the ring found the appropriate glyph. Once all seven were found, a great splash of water appeared seemingly out of nowhere in the center of the ring, hiding the back wall from view. A column of the bubbling liquid burst outward from the center, before receding back into the center of the ring. When the water settled, it appeared as if they were looking into a deep pool from above. A faint shimmer of light reflected off of the strange vertical water, though the source of the light was unknown.

"Wow. Trippy." Yang said with an appreciative whistle. Blake simply stared into the portal, watching for the first sign of movement. From what she could gather from Horst and Switch, this venture was very experimental in spirit, and there was a chance that the world connected to this portal was not the one they were looking for.

The first contact came not in the form of physical manifestation, but rather the unexpected burst of radio feedback. The scratchy sound echoed in everyone's heads, before resolving into a confident, smooth voice.

 _"_ _Horst? Are you there? Do you copy?"_ The Titan nodded and approached the portal, even as Switch maintained the radio signal coming through.

"I'm here, Cayde. It seems we got the address right." He frowned as the portal remained opaque. "Are you sending anyone through yet?"

 _"_ _Oh yeah. We've got the closest thing to an expert coming through now. He's not a Guardian, so be careful with him. Fragile people don't come back from the dead."_ Cayde was a nice guy from time to time, but his comments really had the worst timing. Even Yang and Blake winced as Horst lowered his head.

"We've learned that lesson once today already. Send him on, and we'll start renovating this place shortly." Horst said remorsefully, and Cayde didn't press any further. A strange hum came from the pool of water, and with a deep, bellowing rumble, there was a flash of light and a crate came hurtling through. And then another, and two more. After eight crates, each roughly a meter and a half tall and three meters across, came through the Gateway, a man stepped through to follow them. He was of middling height, just shorter than Yang, and had brown hair that was cut short but still long enough to advertise the bedhead on the right side of his head. His green eyes were squinting, and a yawn indicated just how fully prepared he was for this mission. The man wore dark grey fatigues and a MOLLE vest, though instead of magazines for weapons he bore various tools and instruments. His only form of protection came in the small package of a Vanguard issued sidearm in a thigh holster on his right side. As soon as Horst recognized who had come through the Gateway, he shook his head and palmed his faceplate.

"Oh no..." This particular City researcher was well known by the Guardians around Venus and Mars due to his near obsession with Clovis Bray and lost Golden Age technologies...as well as a personality so arrogant and abrasive that his Guardian protectors were often left wanting to strangle him. Dr. Rodney McKay was NOT a socially conscious man. And Horst's team had just suffered a traumatic experience.

"Does he have to throw EVERYTHING through the portal?!" Dr. McKay asked in an angry tone. "The word 'fragile' has obviously never crossed his mind. I mean, this equipment is incredibly delicate, and he just chucks it through like yesterday's trash." The doctor (Ph.D, not M.D.) crouched down near one of the crates with a worried expression. Not that he had the expertise or the tools to fix the instruments he worried about, but he did so all the same.

"Dr. McKay, I'd recommend getting to work imediately." Horst stepped forward, trying to get the little man to work before he said something he shouldn't. "My team is working on securing the rest of the facility, but right now we need that Gateway sustainable." McKay stood up and brushed off his knee before looking around, actually taking in what he was working with for the first time. His eyes roamed around the room, tracing the power conduits and numerous bundles of wire that ran in every direction, before his gaze finally fell on Blake and Yang. Or more importantly, Blake's bow.

"Since when do Guardians wear bows?" He asked incredulously. Given his obviously arrogant attitude and the likelihood of the doctor reacting negatively to a Faunus, Blake's bow went flat and she narrowed her eyes.

"Probably around the same time engineers decided to determine fashion." Mckay's eyebrows rose, and he quickly decided to get to work. Dense though he was from time to time, even McKay could tell when it was time to leave a woman alone. Rubbing his hands together and pointedly looking at everything in the room but Blake, the little man asked his next question.

\- "How long has this place been powered up?"

"Roughly thirty minutes, give or take. Some of the local wildlife had settled in, but they should be cleared out shortly." McKay nodded, but pursed his lips in thought.

"The power's been activated, otherwise you wouldn't have had enough to dial the Gateway on Earth. But for some reason, none of the facilities other systems seem to be working. Are all of the reactors online?"

Switch appeared in Horst's hand, and he nodded in response. "Correct, although some are still spinning up. Whatever shut this place down did so hard and fast; a lot of emergency safeties were overridden. In fact, I'd say that was caused by whatever sank this place thousands of years ago." McKay blinked at tht, and looked around again.

"Sank? You mean we're underwater?" This time Yang answered his question.

"Yeah, we're a hundred meters under the ocean right now. The facility is locked into a really big glacier, but it has to be huge for us to have fallen down this far. I think it used to float before everything went to hell." The blonde supplied, and McKay visibly paled at that.

"Oh. Well, that's not good." The doctor mumbled, and began digging around in the stacks of crates. As he pulled them out one by one, each one was revealed to be numbered on the sides in blocky, white letters.

"We need crates four and seven! I need you guys to help me right now!" The doctor semi-ordered, though he seemed to be the only one panicking as the Guardians looked on cluelessly. Ruby and Weiss came in from the hallway as well, following the shouting they had heard.

"What's the problem, doctor? What's going to happen?" Horst tried, and stepped out of the way as McKay dragged the #4 crate past him at a laughably pathetic speed. Despite being a combat engineer, it was obvious combat was not his strong suit.

"Classic Guardians. You can shoot and break stuff all day, but can't put on your thinking caps for five seconds." The little man griped as he struggled toward the hallway. A little miffed at the sideways comment, Horst grabbed the other handle of the crate and stopped the little doctor dead in his tracks. Dr. McKay struggled for a bit, then looked back and realized what was holding him up. Since he knew that continued effort was futile, McKay dropped the crate and put his hands on his hips.

"Look, we've got a small window to work with here. When those reactors spin up, they're going to generate a lot of heat. That heat will rise, and if the only thing keeping this facility from sinking to the bottom of the ocean is a glacier, the ice will melt and we will sink." Team RWBY collectively gasped at that, and McKay nodded in affirmation. Finally, people were listening! "We have to find the control room for this place before that happens. If we can activate the controls, the facility should stay in place after the ice melts. You said you had a team clearing the place out?"

Horst was already ahead of him, Switch keying up the comm to get in touch with JNPR. "Jaune, come in. I've got another task for you."

 _"_ _I hear you Professor. We've cleared most of this section, figured we'd start moving upward from here. What do you need?"_

"See if you can find a large control room as you move through the place. We've activated the power, but our expert says the heat from the reactors will melt us into the ocean if we don't get this place up and running." Ruby and the others grabbed the crates as quickly as they could, though even Weiss and Ruby could lift two crates compared to McKay barely dragging one.

 _"_ _Seriously?! Well, uh, what are we looking for? Because if it's a room with a bunch of computers, we've found nearly twenty of them."_ Horst relayed the question as the six of them went back to the generator room where they had first started the reactor. Weiss' gaze lingered on the frozen statue of Revy, but none of them stopped to pay respect. They didn't have time.

"The Control Room should be in the center of the complex, far away from every angle of attack and capable of relaying commands to all sectors." McKay advised as he trooped along behind the Guardians. "The nearest control point should have a terminal with a map!"

Weiss had been the one to find the map in the generator room. As such, she led the way in toward the terminal with Flake at her shoulder. The Ghost interfaced with the terminal as soon as she reached it, crate forgotten on the floor a few feet behind her. As before, the map of the facility appeared once again, only this time many of the pathways were colored bright orange or yellow. The power was spreading around the complex, and the heat was beginning to rise.

"There, in the center!" McKay pointed, and Flake highlighted the chamber the doctor had indicated. "All conduits pass control through that room there. If it isn't the main control room, it'll be close to it." According to the map, the central chamber was a few hallways and secured doors away from away from the lift. And judging by the flashing letters titled 'JNPR' directly below the chamber, Jaune's team was very close.

"Alright, let's get to it. Get these crates to the lift and get to the control room immediately." Horst ordered, and Ruby, Blake, and Yang turned an about face and tore off toward the lift, nearly tripping over each other in a race to get there first. Weiss, however, hung back with Horst and Dr. McKay as they watched the others leave.

"Jaune, the control room is directly above you. If you guys can find a way way up nearby, you'll reach it long before we do." Horst advised, and led Weiss and Dr. McKay toward the lift. When they reached it, they found Ruby and Yang fighting over the elevator switch with a bemused Blake watching intently.

"Dr. McKay, what kind of timeline do we have before the complex becomes unstable?" Weiss asked, rolling her eyes as Horst shoved the two squabbling sisters apart and punched in the floor they needed to be on.

"This place has been down here for thousands of years and kept from tearing apart by a frozen glacier. It speaks wonders of the Golden Age architects that built it, but it also means that a good deal of the structure is covered with ice. The reactors that power the whole complex will generate a lot of heat. The glacier could melt over the course of a few weeks, maybe even a month, but enough of the base could be removed to cause a collapse, or even for an entire section to break off and sink. If that happens, we'll be in deep trouble." The lift hummed with energy and started back up, and together they ascended up toward the floor JNPR was trying to get at.

"So, things could be alright for a few hours, even a day?" Blake asked, stepping away from the edge of the lift with her arms crossed. Mckay shook his head, a grimace appearing on his face.

"No, we need to get things started as soon as possible. Enough ice could melt that the damage could be done. We could have minutes for all we know. Without a scan of the ice density and coverage of the facility, we could be talking hours or days. But that's not a gamble I'm willing to take." McKay opened one of his crates and pulled what looked like a clear clipboard out of one of the pockets. At least, until he passed a hand over it and the thing came to life with several holographic displays.

"He's right. The sooner we get this place running again, the less likely our Gateway will be sitting at the bottom of the ocean." Horst nodded toward Ruby. "Have we heard from Jaune yet?"

Ruby turned red when she realized that she was supposed to have been in contact with JNPR the whole time. Turning away from everyone else, the young team leader cupped her hand over her mouth and spoke to where Summer could transmit for her.

"Jaune? Have you guys found it yet? We're on our way up now." She whispered. A burst of static came from the comm, and then Jaune's uneasy voice returned.

 _"_ _Uh, are you guys sure this is the control room? Because if it is, we have a problem."_ Ruby blinked at that. Now what?

"What are you talking about? What kind of problem?" Jaune didn't reply, but this time it was Ren that replied. The only thing coming from Jaune was a series of grunts.

 _"_ _Ruby, the control panels are all gone. The only thing in here is a busted display and torn metal. There are many sparking wires, but whatever was here is gone now."_ He paused. _"Jaune, what are you doing?"_

 _"_ _The door is stuck. We can't open up the control room door on this side. Someone stole the consoles and sabotaged the door."_

Ruby turned around and looked at Horst, who had been listening in the whole time. The Titan tilted his head in puzzlement, then nodded when he realized the cause.

"The Atlesians. This place is right underneath their cradle city, before Atlas was formed. I'm betting they took everything they could work. If they managed to get any of the subsystems running, the controls would have gone with them. I'm sure if we saw the bridge of an Atlas capital ship, its controls would be reverse engineered from Golden Age specs." He explained calmly. Mckay, however, seemed ready to burst into hysterics.

"They just _took_ the control boards?! We can't do anything here without that main control center! Short of connecting a Warmind to the mainframe, total control of the complex ran through that room!" The doctor ran his hands through his thinning hair, his face turning red as he struggled to think of a solution. The answer, however, came from Blake. The Faunus was leafing through the crates McKay had brought from the City, and she held up several instruments. One of them looked like a calculator with an antenna on it while the other looked like a blocky laptop.

"You brought all this equipment to find different power controls and stuff, right?" At McKay's frustrated nod, she just shrugged and set them down. "Why don't we just build more?"

"Build more?! JUST build more? These are delicate and highly specialized pieces of equipment paired to technology that has been studied for thousands of years. You can't just plug a keyboard into the junction and make everything okay again! This technology is a little more complicated than that." Blake gestured toward the crates that McKay had brought with him, even as Yang started popping them open just to look at all the stuff inside.

"You brought all these tools with you, you're surrounded by Guardians that have matter altering Ghosts, and you're telling me that the foremost expert on Golden Age technology on this planet can't put a control room back together?" The incredulous look she gave him made McKay pause in his blubbering anger as he considered her point. An amused smirk crossed her face when he rubbed his chin.

"Huh. Yeah, I suppose we can do this. But I need to get up there and see the damage. How much faster does this lift go?" Almost as soon as he said that, a deep rumble echoed throughout the complex. The bright white lights dimmed and gave way to a series of flashing emergency lights, bathing the elevator shaft in darkness interrupted by a crimson hue. The lift stopped where it was, the sudden and abrupt halt sending all but Ruby to the ground as she braced against one of the crates. Yang's legs dangled precariously near the exit of the lift, where four feet of clearance was just enough to send her falling to the bottom of the shaft. Blake slid over and grabbed her partner, latching onto Yang's legs and spinning her onto the ift and away from the edge.

"Aw, come on!" The little doctor whined. " That's got to be the strain of the superstructure. I'd say we're losing more ice than we thought. If we don't get to the control room soon, we'll lose part of the facility!" Horst looked around at the walls, and the platform door to the floor they were on was gaping open. He looked at Weiss again.

"The ice is giving way too fast for us to restore the facility completely. We'll suffer significant damage before that control room gets handled. If only there was a Guardian around here skilled in creating ice." Weiss took the hint immediately, and she shook her head in energetic denial.

"No! I will not use those powers again. I've already killed one person with it, I'm not going to destroy the whole base!" She waved her hand dismissively. "Besides, it's completely underwater. How could I have access to it without drowning?" Horst didn't answer, but rather focused his attention slightly to her right. On cue, Flake appeared at the heiress' shoulder and looked down at her expectantly.

"Perhaps now would be the time to try that helmet? It's the only part of your armor that is left to completely seal the suit. With a helmet, you could move around underwater with ease." Weiss wrinkled her nose at the request, both anxious and afraid of her new powers as well as the prospect of diving _beneath_ a glacier, alone, in freezing dark water.

"What about me?" McKay demanded. "How am I gonna get up to the control room to fix everything if we're stuck on this platform?"

Before anyone could answer the whiny doctor, a loud clang echoed from above, the sounding bouncing around the metal shaft but definitely coming from the upper levels. Fearing that something had happened, Horst keyed the radio.

"Jaune, was that you? Is everything okay up there?" Over the comm, they could hear Nora whooping and singing cheerfully, so clearly nothing was wrong. After a few seconds, Jaune came over the line.

 _"_ _Yeah, everything's fine. Nora opened the control room door...uh, she REALLY opened it."_ The amazement in his voice instantly made Horst worry about collateral damage. _"The door's open when you guys get here. I just hope we don't evcer have to close it."_

"Have one of the Ghosts work on repairing it once we get there. That's one of the most protected rooms in the facility." He paused. "HOW did she open it?"

 _"_ _She's been playing with different mixtures in her grenades. These detonate when she swings the hammer. Says she got it from some zombie game."_ Ren offered, and suddenly it made sense. What was starting to make him wonder was who the hell let her have Magnhild in the first place? Still, it solved a problem. Now all they needed was to get McKay up there with his equipment...

"Ruby, you're up!" Horst turned toward the reaper. She appeared next to him near instantly, though it only appeared that way due to the flashing red lights and her black and red outfit. "How far can you travel with a passenger?"

"Hmm. I can carry somebody pretty far, but the last person I tried it with was a robot. Dr. McKay's probably a lot lighter." Ruby pointed up at the doorway they needed to go to. "I can't just fly him up there though." Yang stepped forward and cracked her knuckles, causing the little doctor next to them to nervously shuffle away.

"I can get him up there. We'll work on getting the crates too." The brawler offered, and Ruby grinned widely. Even as the alarm klaxons began to sound, the reaper ascended the elevator shaft quickly using ledges on one side. When she reached an the appropriate ledge, directly across from the door they needed to go through, she looked back down at the others.

"I'm ready! Send him up!" The reaper yelled to the team below. As she did so, Dr. McKay sensed an ominous presence looming over him. When he turned, Yang stood uncomfortably close, and her hands settled onto his shoulders. The context and what they had been saying finally occurred to the doctor, and he whimpered feebly.

"Mommy." Yang grinned in a way that wasn't comforting at all.

"Nope, just me." Before he could respond, Yang grabbed McKay by his belt and his collar and heaved, sending him skyward with a mighty throw. The timid doctor screamed in panic as he hurtled through the air, ascending the shaft at an alarming pace until he began to slow. As he did, the doctor seemed to float a moment, just before his momentum shifted back into a fall. Just before gravity took him again, he spun in the air to see Ruby braced against one of the supports.

"No no no no- OOF!" Was all he could manage before she dashed forward, slamming her shoulder into the doctor's stomach before they both disappeared in a shower of petals. Ruby's super speed carried them both toward the control room, leaving behind nothing but the echoes of McKay's panicked yells. The other four below watched them leave, then Horst looked at Yang and Blake.

"The doctor will need his equipment soon. Let's get those crates up there. Think we can use the ribbon on Gambol Shroud, Blake?" The Faunus winced at the request, reaching back to stroke her precious weapon. The cloth could definitely stand more than one first assumed, but seven crates of heavy equipment?

"Maybe you should toss them to Yang instead." She said after a few seconds' pause. "We don't need to lose precious equipment because I overestimated my weapon." The part about not damaging her precious sword went unsaid. Yang flexed her arms and nodded eagerly, ready to show off her strength as always. The brawler was such a child sometimes.

"Oh yeah! Yang Xiao Long: droppin' plates and tossin' crates!" Blake rolled her eyes at her partner, and Horst's shoulders bounced in a chuckle. Weiss just looked down the hallway on the level they had stopped, pondering the next task at hand with equal measure anxiety and caution. It would be her first trip beneath the water, and she was starting at several hundred feet? The pit in her gut that had formed when Revy had frozen solid only grew heavier and heavier.

"I'll stay down here and help Weiss, but I could get the crates up to you. Both of you should be up there just in case, though." Horst advised, and another rumble echoed throughout the shaft, and they could all hear creaking and groaning hulls further into the facility. The glacier was giving way. Without wasting any further time, Blake ran to the side of the shaft with the ledges that Ruby had used earlier, then knelt and braced herself to help Yang jump the first few levels. Yang followed and placed her boot into Blake's interlocked hands, ready to jump in concert. A second quake rocked the shaft, however, driving Blake's face directly into Yang's stomach. The pair floundered to regain their balance, and Yang couldn't help but be a smartass.

"Oh, Blake!" She cried scandalously. "At least buy me dinner first!" The Faunus' ears flattened in annoyance, though she couldn't hide the heat in her face as she righted them. Now, of all times, she decided to be flirty?

"Just get up there before I throw you _down_ the elevator shaft." Blake hissed, straining with effort as Yang kicked off. Blake lifted at the same time, sending the blonde up at a similar rate to the unfortunate doctor she had tossed moments previously. Thanks to Blake's strength and the fact that they worked together, Yang landed with a nimble hop on the ledge Ruby had posted up on, just across from the level they needed to go. Yang looked down and motioned with her hand, and Blake prepared to throw Gambol Shroud. As the sword came whistling through the air, Yang reached out and caught it and planted her feet. Using her partner as an anchor, Blake quickly leaped from wall to wall and scaled the shaft in short order. A subtle 'whoosh' accompanied each jump, and her body was outlined with a faint layer of Light every time she jumped. In a few more days, Horst suspected that Blake would discover the aspect of her powers that granted Hunters their double jump. Yang and the other possible Titans were trailing behind in their Lift discovery, and he had no idea where Ren was in his training. The boy was almost a textbook Hunter, but his meditative calm and intimate knowledge of force lead Horst to believe that Ren was the second Warlock in the trainees.

When the two reached the ledge, Horst walked over and grabbed the first crate to toss. Compared to some of the feats he had accomplished during his long career, tossing something weighing this much would be easy. The only catch would be on Yang's side of the play: could she keep the currently irreplacable equipment from plunging to the bottom of the shaft and shattering across the ground?

"Are you two ready?" He called, and Yang offered a thumbs up from their perch as she leaned precariously over the edge. As he stared, Horst realized after a few moments that Blake's ribbon was wrapped around the brawler's midsection as a makeshift safety tether. Those two worked well together. Up on the ledge, Yang looked back at Blake, who was braced against the wall with both ends of her ribbon wrapped around her forearms. Her gaze caught Blake's attention, and she could almost see her ears twitch in confusion.

"I knew you were looking for a reason to tie me up." The blonde teased, and her partner's face blossomed red as the line went slack, almost sending Yang plummeting down to Horst's level. Blake reeled her in before they had to haul her back up again. Still, the point was made. Not that the blush on Blake's face hadn't been cute as hell. On Horst's signal, the first crate came flying upward with some speed, forcing Yang to stop it with one hand as she grasped the handle with the other. Once it was in hand, Blake hauled both Guardian and crate in, and they set it down on the ledge. The maintenance platform allowed for two stacks of crates and two Guardians, so they had plenty of room.

Now that he was certain they could move the crates, Horst turned to Weiss. "There should be an airlock one floor above us. Flake can take you there, and get you ready for the EVA. As soon as we have these crates up there, I'll come out and join you. But we need to hurry." As if to emphasize his point, more strained groaning echoed from above them as the facility continued to bend to the pressure of the deep, the glacier that kept them on the surface melting quickly now. They were running out of time.

* * *

If disappointment was a valid source of rage, Magnus would have been furious. THIS had been the Taken King? He had fought Minotaurs more dangerous than this supposed King! He and Cipher stood on the balcony of the Dreadnought, both of them at the edge of a black, inky pool. Embedded in the goopy, mysterious liquid was a sword nearly as tall as Magnus himself. Made of horrid black bone and as jagged and vicious as its master, Willbreaker sat alone in front of the two Guardians. Just as the final blow had been struck (Magnus driving a full tube of rounds from his Fourth Horseman into Oryx's chest) the Taken King had absorbed some kind of power from his blade. Seconds later, he was stripping himself away from reality and disappearing in a swirl of Blight, looking like the many beings he had Taken over the millenia. Were it not for sinister chuckle as he escaped, Magnus would have ruled him dead.

Just like Osiris, Oryx had slipped away.

It was not the first time his prey had gotten away, a fact that left the Titan rather sore and foul tempered as he stalked the edge of the pool. Neither himself nor Cipher had dared to enter the inky blackness, even with the simmering anger that the Titan inflicted upon himself. Unlike Magnus, Cipher stared calmly at the blade stuck in the middle of the pool. His Ghost, a standard white shelled construct named Base, scanned the strange liquid from a safe distance.

"I think we can both agree that the Taken King is still alive." Cipher said obviously, and Magnus grunted in response. "Although, it does call into question where he has gone. Returned to the Ascendant Realm? It makes me wish we still had contact with the Tower." Cipher continued, using his Warlock abilities to scan the area as well. The fluid was metal based, and likely used as a conduit for power or matter manipulation. The Darkness clung to the fluid and everything it touched, leading Cipher to wisely keep his hands to himself. No one needed another corrupted Guardian running around. And the idea of a Taken Guardian sent a shiver down his synthetic spine. What kind of damage could Oryx do by absorbing the essence of a Guardian, particularly one such as Magnus or himself?

"Was that really all he had?" Magnus growled from behind Cipher. The Exo allowed a few moments of pacing to simmer his Titan comrade's temper before replying. It helped to let that fire smolder for a little bit.

"Since we faced him in our dimension and not the Ascendant Realm, I highly doubt the Taken King is dead. Rather, we've destroyed his corporeal form. Without it, he must direct everything from his own realm. That will keep the Taken and Hive in disarray, since the only ones able to contact him will be fighting amongst themselves. We've crippled them, but the head of the snake still lives." Magnus stopped pacing and turned away from the Warlock. A rare pause and deep breath could be heard before the Titan exhaled slowly, calming himself as best he could given the new information.

"How many princes are we talking about here? I know Crota was his chosen, but there has to be some kind of succession." Cipher looked back at the entryway they had come through, and the statues that had guarded its walls. Crota, Oryx, and another Hive God – the only thing they could glean was its name, Nokris – stood in stone vigilance over Oryx's sacred hall. Two of them were now slain, Oryx albeit only temporarily, and there was no sign of the third in the solar system. Whatever else decided to ascend to the throne, they would have to dig further to find out.

"There's no telling. Any Hive or Taken beast with a modicum of power will be clamoring for the throne. According to Eris, Oryx and Crota united their armies through absolute power. In their absence, every lieutenant has a fair chance at the throne. It will throw them into disarray, but any champion we face will be scrambling for the power of the 'Worm Gods', as she called them."

There were others that had delved into all that was Hive: their origin, their culture, their way of life. For Toland the Shattered and Eriana-3, legendary Guardians, the pursuit of the Hive's secrets had utterly destroyed them. Even Eris Morn, broken and paranoid as she was, had almost come too close to understanding the Hive. For Cipher-10, knowledge was a tool, but the infectious lore of the Hive sought to destroy those that would know it. As a Warlock, he already had a warped sense of reality; he did not need Oryx's Sword Logic to further dampen his reason.

"Eris will know more about potential new Kings. For now, we should return to our ships. If we're lucky, Remnant is close enough to reach quickly. I fear what may happen if we tarry too long." Cipher stood from the pool and turned away from the sword. Magnus watched him walk away, and turned to look at the black blade one last time. In a fit of frustration, he raised his rifle and fired half a magazine of bullets into the lone blade. Without its master's power, Willbreaker fell apart under the assault, chunks of it falling into the pool like clumps of blackened mud. Satisfied that he had left enough of a mark to herald his passing, the apprentice of Saladin turned and departed the balcony, ready for the next fight.

Had either Guardian lingered just a bit longer, they'd have seen the Hive Tombship enter the void, cutting through the abyss before disappearing into a green portal.

* * *

When Spirit reached the beacon indicated by the _Iron Symphony_ , she wondered if the coordinates were wrong. All she had found was a tiny island of ice, next to a glacier that had been sheared off recently, and a floating torpedo boat. Still, Hope verified that Horst's position was far below the surface of the frigid water, and she had to get down there. From what Hope was picking up on the telemetry, the facility they had come to revive was sinking fast.

Hope transmatted Spirit down onto the boat itself, and she quickly found the nearest hatch and dove in. Even despite her cloak and sealed undersuit, the bitter chill of Remnant's arctic region sapped at her body heat. Once she closed the hatch with a hollow clang, two corners and another hatch brought her to the bridge. And a sad sight there she did see.

Dutch sat with his back to her, his form lit by the dim lights of the radar display. The _Black Lagoon_ was still in the water, sonar and radar the only signs of life. A half full glass of bourbon sat in a limp grip, Dutch's right grasping the smouldering remains of a cigarette. Judging by the numerous butts littering the area around his chair, it had not been a good day. As the hatch closed behind her, Dutch did not stir, but she could tell he was looking at her through his dark glasses, his reflection watching her emotionlessly.

"Where is everyone?" She asked quietly, not willing to disturb his silent vigil. Necessity was a cruel reason to disturb this clearly pained man. He did not respond right away, and for a time the only thing that moved was the smoke drifting lazily through the air. Dutch took another drink, pulled on his cigarette, and slowly exhaled the smoke.

"Benny is in the radio room, trying to track the teams down below. Rock's remains have been prepared for burial. Revy...didn't make it. The team of boys are hanging out at the entrance to the facility. The rest are inside." Dutch's voice was hollow, a dull status report for someone detailing the whereabouts of his friends and clients. It was a defense mechanism; break the truth down into compartmentalized fragments, and it didn't all hurt at once. Spirit had been there once, and she knew that there were no words of encouragement or magic perspectives she could offer the aging veteran in front of her. He'd heard it all before. None of it rang true.

"I'm sorry. For what it's worth." She said, keeping her distance respectfully. It was his ship, his watch. His crew. A nod of thanks was all she got in return, before Dutch finished the glass. He threw his head back and downed the rest of the bourbon, clearing his throat as he set the empty glass down.

"You'd better get down there. They need you more than I do." Dutch added, and butted his cigarette out before letting it fall with the others that littered the floor around him. Spirit watched him sit there for some time, then silently complied with his advice. By the time the hatch closed again with her departure, Dutch had lit another cigarette, and watched her jump across from the deck onto the remaining chunk of ice not submerged. It was thirty, forty feet from the deck of his boat and at a higher elevation, but this Guardian had made the leap like she did it all the time. Just another reminder of the aliens among them, the ones he had agreed to help. The ones Rock and Revy had died assisting.

"Good luck kid." He muttered, and took another long drag.

Spirit had to dive a few feet in the chilling, ice cold water to find the entrance, and she was forced to swim even further just to find an air pocket. The cave the teams had used to make entry into the complex was now doing a wonderful job of flooding the superstructure, adding to the strain already placed on the complex. Were she a Titan, she could have halted it for a time with a Ward of Dawn. If she were a Warlock, she could have recombined the atoms around the entrance into a wall. But she was a Hunter. All she could do was press on. The main complex was sealed by the doors at every intersection, forcing Spirit to open them manually. The first few had been completely submerged, leaving her shaking off water after the door would open long enough to allow her and a splash of water through before closing again. When Spirit reached the central lift chamber, a line of water could be seen crawling toward the shaft. The four members of team CRDL were holding fast to several warped and bent doors that continued to leak water at a progressive rate. The complex had already suffered damage, and the result was pooling around their feet.

"Winchester, what are you boys doing?" Spirit demanded in her best drill sergeant voice. The straining students did not cease in their efforts when she spoke, but the leader of the team cut his eyes toward her as he put his shoulder into the frame.

"We came back in here after the place starting sinking. Most of the abandoned village above has been destroyed, and we can't reach the _Lagoon_ as is." He huffed as they managed to force the door closed, pulling on the bars that appeared at each segment. With Dove pulling the right side, Sky the left, and Cardin dropping the top part, they all were crammed into a small operating space. Thankfully, Cardin's strength forced the door to close. Once it was sealed, the futuristic design held well enough.

"Is the rest of the team further in? Did they activate the Gateway?" Cardin shrugged, his cloak billowing behind him in response to the movement of his shoulders.

"They did _something_ downstairs _._ A few minutes after the lights first came on, the shaking started. It got worse and worse, and then we starting dealing with water. If this place is big, there may already be some collapsed sections." He reported. Spirit nodded absently, her eyes unfocusing as she considered the problem. With no way of knowing how big the facility was without contacting the others, there was slim chance of an effective countermeasure all the way up here. Horst and the others would know more about the situation it seemed.

"Stay up here and see if you can seal off more doors until we get this fixed. But don't take any risks!" Spirit's tone hardened. "'Crushed by ocean' is not a eulogy I'm sending to your friends and family, understood?" The young team nodded warily, and the Hunter turned toward the elevator shaft. A small waterfall greeted her vision when she peered over the edge, as well as a series of flashing red lights affixed to the wall, every three levels bathed in bright red in response to the damage. With the problem now in perspective it only now occurred to Spirit that she should find their comm channel.

 _"_ _\- I can hold it. As long as you get the control fixed quickly."_ Weiss was somewhere far off, static and what sounded like a respirator garbling her words. Hope displayed the team's transponders, and sure enough the arrow with Weiss' name over it hung several hundred meters to her seven o' clock – in open water. Given her recent cold snap, the middle of the ocean was the safest place for a fledgling Cryomancer to be, but Horst had to have her out there for some valid reason. You don't subject your students to several atmospheres of pressure for funsies.

 _"_ _We just got the last crate to the control room. Dr. McKay is doing SOMETHING with all these parts. Professor, if you're coming up now is the time. The doc says that once the controls return the security system will reset."_ Uh oh. Spirit had to get to that control room immediately. _"Turrets, doors, everything will return to alert status until we're finished here. Don't want you to get shot at!"_ Yang could be so fun at times. Spirit stepped forward into open air and dropped four levels as they continued their collaboration. Eavesdropping while she dropped was a pun as much as it was rude, and she didn't want to give Yang a reason.

"Is there anything I can do on my end?" She offered, surprising everyone on the comm with her presence. The chatter halted for a moment, and then Horst came on. The strain in his voice implied that he was holding back something formidable, likely a wall of water.

 _"_ _If you're not already at the control room, several of the doors in the shaft need to be manually closed. We're taking on water in several sections of the compound, and...hngh... we'll be swimming in a broken facility before McKay finishes what he's doing."_ A loud creaking noise in the background of his feed caused Spirit's hackles to raise. She'd drowned to death before; it was not a pleasant experience. _"I'm holding back a flood down here on the lower levels. You've got about three minutes until things get wet up there. Weiss, how's it looking on your end?"_

In response to his question, the creaking stopped in the upper section of the structure, if only for a minute. The heiress grunted in effort, and her voice carried an inflection of impatience when she replied.

 _"_ _I'm freezing as much as I can out here, but it's not something I've gotten the hang of yet. Take what you can get!"_ She was refreezing the glacier?! To say that Spirit was impressed would be a gross understatement, but it was just one more reason to why Horst had tried to hard to make this alliance work. These kids were exceptionally skilled and gifted.

Stopping her descent at a level a few decks above the control room, Hope materialized in a flutter of feathers and began trying to lock down the hatch she had found, jammed open as it was. While the Ghost worked on the door, Spirit looked upward toward the top of the shaft. More water began streaming down the walls, implying that a few of the doors up top had been destroyed by the growing water pressure. Despite Weiss' efforts, they were sinking fast.

"Hatch secure." Hope reported, and together the two dropped once again down toward the bottom. Three more hatches hung open to the shaft, and soon Spirit and Hope sealed them closed. After the last one, the markers for team JNPR's location, as well as the R, B, and Y of team RWBY, sat just one floor down. With Horst handling the rest of the breaches and Weiss the only one capable of freezing a glacier, all Spirit could do was see how progress was going in central control. Surely the Warlocks and Titans had this in hand?

The hallway to central control was straight forward once she landed on the appropriate level. Curiously enough, rose petals were scattered along the bleak and darkened hall, flashing black thanks to the red alert. Spirit ignored them and walked briskly into the control room. The sight she found there was disconcerting, to say the least. Someone had definitely done some interior decorating, and not for the better. With power restored, a few bleak lights showed a control room that was sadly lacking in controls. Everywhere a bank of control panels should have sat, only a few pairs of sparking wires and uprooted rivets remained. The Atlesians had cleaned this place out years ago, and the Guardians were paying for it now. Ruby and Yang were digging through one of many crates lying about, all of them hardened steel and padded on the interior, a design she recognized from the Tower. Across from them, doing a fair job at rebuilding one of the control consoles, were Blake and a Tower researcher she had not met.

 _So they managed to get the Gateway working,_ she thought wryly. Blake was paying close attention to the doctor as he spoke quickly, assembling components and demanding more as he worked furiously to build a makeshift computer for a network that was older than Remnant's recorded history. So you know, no big deal. Every time the demanding yet unintimidating doctor would request a particular part, Blake's Ghost would construct it to his specifications and deposit it in his waiting hand. So far, Spirit had to say it was going pretty well.

"Y'know, now that I've had time to think about it, I don't really blame those Atlas guys for tearing off with the controls." Dr. Mckay offered as he secured a panel, building the frame around the connection in the floor before slowly moving up. "I mean, in their place I probably would have run off with everything I could carry too. It's just unfortunate that it may cause the total destruction of this entire facility."

"You seem pretty calm about it, all things considered." Blake noted, and Ruby shrugged from her place next to Pyrrha and Jaune. McKay didn't stop working, but he did shake his head vigorously.

"Oh no, I'm absolutely livid right now. I just can't let it get in the way of my work." And here Blake was about to think there was more to the man than criticism and arrogance. He was just too busy to gripe, it seemed.

"How's Professor Horst doing, I wonder?" Pyrrha asked cautiously, casting a glance back toward the security door that remained torn open from Nora's hammer. "He's down there at the bottom, where the water was gathering..." The Titan had refused to join them in the control room, instead deciding to adamantly remain at the airlock until the complex was stable. That way, if something went wrong on Weiss' end he could still assist. That had been several minutes ago, and the water had not stopped pouring in. Horst was strong, but who could be stronger than the unrelenting pressure of the ocean?

"Don't worry about him." Spirit said nonchalantly, skirting the edge of what appeared to be a holographic table. "His suit will protect him from the pressure, and Switch will make sure Horst has plenty of air." Even as she said that, she had to wonder about Weiss. The Schnee heiress was still acclimating to being a Guardian in general, nevermind the new manifestation of her powers. To be underwater, all alone, and using the very abilities that had put an end to Revy Two Hands? There was steel in the girl, no doubt, but Spirit worried about the young woman. Horst was a nagging nanny at the best of times, so he very likely was a close as he could be, but the Titan could not defend his student from her own nightmares and doubts. That was all on her.

"If McKay does this right, the ones in the most danger will be Weiss and Horst," Ruby said, mirroring Spirit's thoughts. "Should we go help? I mean, Dr. McKay will only need one of us at the least." Ruby was worried about both of them, truth be told, though her concern for Weiss was likely the better founded. That, and sitting there watching Blake feed Dr. McKay parts could only be so entertaining. Spirit paused for a moment, then shrugged. It's not like they were doing anything productive at this point.

"Might as well, although the only thing we can do is watch and make sure nothing happens. Who's staying with the science geek?" As she asked, Ren and Nora raised their hands.

"We'll stay. I'd like to ask more about the Tower, and we'll be able to handle any straggler Grimm." Ren said stoically, and Nora nodded eagerly.

"Yeah! Go say hi to soggy Weiss for us!" Leave it to Nora to maintain an indomitable good mood. McKay said nothing as Ren took Blake's place by his side, not even seeming to realize that he was talking to a different person as he continued to outline necessary parts and pieces. Win or lose, their objective depended upon his success. With no way to affect the outcome, why worry needlessly? Ruby cast a glance back at the three remaining people in the control room, then followed the rest of JNPR and RWBY out the door. Jaune and Pyrrha led the way back to the shaft, and everyone collectively winced when they saw the water cascading down the walls in greater volume. Spirit placed a finger to her ear and looked upward, trying to see if she could glimpse any of Cardin's team.

"The ruptures up top must be getting bigger." She observed, dodging another spurt of water as the flow up top waxed and waned. "I don't think Cardin's team can stop it. And they can't fight the flood and call us on their scrolls at the same time. Jaune, Pyrrha, they made need some assistance." Jaune and Pyrrha looked at each other, then back to Spirit.

"Uh, are you sure you don't need our help down there?" Jaune asked warily. Not that he doubted Spirit's judgment, but it felt like there'd be more to do down the shaft. That, and though the young man had made leaps and bounds of progress, Jaune wasn't exactly up to working with Cardin again. Spirit put her hands on her hips and glared at him, though her expression was hidden by her helmet.

"Your girlfriend's the only one who can manipulate metal. If they have a break at one of the doors, Pyrrha's the best one to handle it since Weiss is out swimming with the ice cubes. And I'm sure you don't want to leave her up there all by herself with CRDL." Cardin's team wouldn't dare mess with Pyrrha, given that this was a potentially life threatening situation AND she had wiped out their entire team in sparring BEFORE she had become a Guardian. But Jaune wasn't really necessary below, and two Guardians in the main chamber would be better than one. Jaune blanched at her words, but Pyrrha grasped his hand reassuringly and headed off any protests he might have.

"Come help me and Cardin, and I'll reward you when we get back to Vale." She whispered into his ear, and the rest of the Guardians got to enjoy Jaune do his absolute best to imitate a tomato with how red his face became. The blonde team leader stammered out an incoherent response, and Pyrrha shook her head before moving toward the edge of the shaft. After examining the sheeting water that covered the elevator shaft, she noticed a workable pattern of vents and culverts that lined the cargo elevator's path. With a grunt of effort, she was jumping across the chasm and free climbing up to the top. Jaune watched her go a little longer than he needed to, and he wasn't fooling anyone with the way he followed her form as she quickly ascended. Whoever had decided that those skin tight body suits were mandatory for Guardian armor deserved a hug.

While Jaune watched his partner climb to the top, Spirit and team RWBY dropped down toward the bottom of the shaft one at a time, Ruby being the last to go. She glanced over at the blonde, and he stopped his shameless staring to look back at her. When he found Ruby's gaze upon him, Jaune had the decency to blush and look anywhere else besides his partner's amazing ass.

"Uh, hehe...ahem. So, think McKay's almost done yet?" His attempt at deflection earned a snicker from Ruby, and she shook her head.

"I think it'll take him another fifteen minutes or so. How long to you think it'll take Pyrrha to climb up to the top? Since you seemed _so_ interested in watching." Ruby's jab sent Jaune into another fit of blubbering excuses as he kicked his foot, refusing to make eye contact as that red tint blossomed across his face. He edged precariously close to the end of the path, his boots washing in the water as he strained to see where his partner had climbed to. As he leaned back, the water took his footing away, and Jaune fell outward into the elevator shaft with a startled cry.

"Oh crap! RUBY!" The blonde cried, and the reaper rushed to the edge as Jaune hung in the air for a moment, frozen in freefall as he was about to plummet to his death. She reached out to help him, prepared to use her Semblance in a similar manner to how she had plowed McKay into the control room. However, instead of falling like they both suspected, Jaune just...continued to hang there. Both Guardians looked around, surprised at the odd contradiction to gravity's normal order. Ruby, however, noticed a soft white glow that surrounded Jaune's body. Jaune, on the other hand, felt himself powering upward slightly, somehow generating enough thrust to float in the air. It wasn't as if he had created a jetpack or anything, but somehow he was hovering. Was it his Light? They had all seen Horst fly short distances using his Guardian abilities, but this was the first time Jaune had manifested any kind of Light based technique.

Before either Guardian could comment on Jaune's newfound flight, whatever was keeping him from falling finally ran out. And it ended immediately. The blonde once again became subject to gravity, and he dropped with a panicked yell once more. Ruby watched as he dropped down into the flashing red depths, and his armor soon disappeared into the shadows. It seemed he was going to be the first one for her to resurrect, she thought to herself as she prepared to drop down. Movement below, however, made Ruby pause.

As quickly as he had dropped, Jaune came rocketing upward past Ruby, nearly knocking her out had she not stepped back in time. Just like before, his armor glowed with an aura. However, this time the vibrating black border of Pyrrha's Semblance covered him, and he was thrown upward by her magnetic control. Not that he seemed alright with it.

"WHOAAAAA!" His shrill cries echoed upward as he flew, though he could see Pyrrha up at the top of the shaft. She grinned and threw her arm over her shoulder, bringing him up even faster than before. Up on Pyrrha's level, the collective strength of Team CRDL fought to keep one of the main doors from buckling. Despite Weiss' efforts outside, a sizable breach must have damaged the complex. Cardin and Sky fought to keep the door closed, even as spouts of water ejected from a dozen locations. From what Pyrrha could sense, the metal segments of the door had buckled inward slightly, preventing her from completely sealing it with her Semblance. The solution to such an issue? Throw Jaune at it.

"Jaune, use your shield!" She called as he passed over her. Trusting his partner to have a plan, the blonde barely drew his sword and shield in time to tuck in, transforming from airborne teenager into a cannonball in just a few seconds. Due to the size of the door, an area large enough for three Jaune's sat between the members of CRDL, so they were in no danger as Jaune struck the door like a battering ram. The door pushed back inwardfor just a moment, Jaune's strike setting the warped metal back onto its track for just a moment. Before the building pressure from the other side could bow the door back out, Pyrrha used her Semblance to slide the locks into place, sealing the door all the way and allowing Cardin and the others to breathe easier. Jaune slowly slid downward until his feet touched the ground, then let out a relieved sigh as he slumped down the sealed door into the pool of water around it. Dove did the same, and his squinting gaze examined Jaune for a moment. Neither teen said anything for a moment, but Dove seemed to want to say something.

"You know Arc, you've gotten a lot cooler since the start of the year." Dove admitted, and Sky nodded in agreement above them. Jaune blinked several times, before looking between the panting members of Team CRDL in surprise. Given that these were the same guys that hazed and blackmailed him at the beginning of their tenure at Beacon, compliments were the last thing he expected to receive.

"Uh...really? I mean, thanks and all, but I thought you guys hated me?" He couldn't keep the shock out of his voice, and Cardin sneered at that.

"You're still a total dork, Arc, but you've had our backs. Even when we didn't have yours. No matter how much of a dweeb you are, you've come through for us. You and your team. It'd be real lame to leave you hanging now." Cardin said, and followed it up with a punch in the arm. Jaune winced and rubbed the sore spot. Sky and Russell nodded in agreement as well, and Jaune had to admit that it felt a little better to come to terms with what had been a rough first year. If he could convince Team CRDL that he wasn't a total loss of a Huntsman, well what couldn't he do?

"Could I have my partner back, boys? I can't have him getting too wet." Pyrrha walked up to the bunch, her boots barely stopping before the growing puddle of water as her hand vibrated with the activation of her Semblance once again. Jaune's armor hummed with energy once more, and the knight was pulled to his feet, coming to a rest next to Pyrrha while Cardin and his friends remained drenched in water. Russell in particular looked peeved, but they weren't about to pick a fight with the girl that had successfully clobbered their entire team by herself. Especially now that she had weird space powers.

"Sorry about throwing you like that. But we needed the extra shove." Pyrrha apologized, running a hand through Jaune's shaggy hair fondly as they both turned back toward the shaft they had ascended from. Jaune could not suppress the warm glow that suffused his core at the gentle touch of his partner, and he shrugged off her apology.

"It's no big deal. If you hadn't needed to, you wouldn't have done it. Besides, it impressed Cardin. That's a win in itself." He said with a chuckle, and Pyrrha responded in kind. Together, the two looked down the elevator shaft once more, and were both surprised when the lights flickered back on and the alarms stopped blaring. Far below the control deck, the lift platform finally began floating back up toward them, heading straight for the top in some kind of default setting. A slight shift in orientation made the Guardians wobble on their feet, before the complex once again stilled. Cardin and his friends crashed to the ground, their stances not as stable since they were still kneeling. Jaune and Pyrrha looked around, but the answer came from some sort of PA system, a voice blaring all over the facility.

 _"_ _Testing, testing. Is this thing on?"_ Nora's voice echoed throughout the halls, and a smile crossed Pyrrha's face as she listened to the valkyrie. _"Helllloooo? Anybody out there? Doctor McKay says the base is fixed!"_ There was some feedback, like someone grabbing a mic, and the aforementioned doctor came over the PA next.

 _"_ _I did NOT say it was fixed, I said we are no longer about to die. There's a distinct difference there."_ McKay cleared his throat, and then prepared to actually address everyone else in the complex. _"We're no longer sinking, thanks to your teammate outside and my own genius. But there's a lot of work to do. This research facility was brimming with experimental technology, and we've only begun to scratch the surface. Once we get this place running, maintaining the Gateway will be top priority. Now everyone get back up to the control room so we can discuss our next step."_ With that, another bite of white noise came over the speakers, and McKay said no more. Almost as soon as he went quiet, however, Spirit's voice came over the comm channel.

 _"_ _Weiss, I don't know how far out you are, but the job is done. We've stabilized the facility, so you can come back in now. You performed exceptionally."_ Praise from Spirit without urging from someone else just sounded weird, but it was a good thing. Weiss' reply, however, was still downtrodden.

 _"_ _Glad I could do SOMETHING good with these powers. I'm coming back in. Professor Horst is going to meet me there."_ Obviously, she still felt guilty over Revy's death. Jaune sympathized, as few others could understand the shame in letting someone down or messing up like that, and he could tell Pyrrha did too. Still, there would be time to properly grieve later. They had a meeting to attend.

Just as Pyrrha and Jaune contemplated falling to their destination, the elevator arrived with a quiet chime. For such a large platform, it moved and stepped silently, likely due to the fact that it didn't actually touch any mechanism. Whatever anti-grav technology the Golden Age scientists had enjoyed, it was still in full effect on the elevator. Jaune, Pyrrha, and Team CRDL boarded the lift quickly, though Cardin and Russell began to quickly disrobe from their winter garments. When the lights had come on, the heat had too.

"I guess more Guardians will be coming in from the Tower to help run this place." Dove suggested as they waited for the lift to reach its destination. Unlike when the facility had first started up, the elevator now moved quickly and silently, allowing only for a few seconds of conversation before they would reach the control deck.

"Maybe. I guess we should be excited, seeing more people from Horst's planet. Still can't shake the feeling of how weird it is though." Jaune admitted, and Cardin snorted at that.

"You've got the same crazy space powers that they do, Jauney Boy. That's like hearing a bird complain about flying." Jaune rolled his eyes at the metaphor, especially coming from the leader of team 'Cardinal'.

"I wasn't a bird until a few days ago. Back then, I was a nice, oblivious, regular person that hunted monstrosities and fell asleep in class." The blonde defended, and the other team shook their head at that. It was a correct admission: before learning under Titan Horst and from his partner, Jaune had been a Grade A loser. It seems that some things were meant to change, however. Hell, the close proximity of one of the most sought after girls in the school was proof enough of that.

The lift finally reached its destination, and together the six defenders walked down the short hallway to where the control room was. To Jaune and Pyrrha's surprise, the double doors that Nora had demolished earlier had been returned to working condition, the only sign of the valkyrie's hammer being a slight dent in the right side door. It still slid open smoothly, revealing the room to be similar to how they had left it. The one change being the now working visual display on the far wall, and a console that McKay stood behind, his fingers dancing across the controls as quickly as possible.

"Oh good, some of you work quickly. Ren is working on a secondary console now that I've figured it out, but we should have communications up soon." The doctor reported. True to his word, Ren and Orchid were closer to the far wall, with the Ghost's transmat beam slowly building up a console based on McKay's instructions. Nora, however, was somehow walking across the ceiling. Jaune and Pyrrha stared at the other member of their team, even as Cardin and Russell led the way over to the display.

"Nora, how are you up there?" Jaune asked incredulously. The pink haired hammer wielder grinned viciously at his question, and she quickly ran – upside down, mind you – across the ceiling until she was almost face to face with him.

"Oh, it was easy! Mjolnir said that magnets were basically just specialized pieces of metal with a charge running through them, so I figured since I'm a walking battery, I could make MAGNET BOOTS! So I tried and I did." Nora explained as if it were the simplest thing in the world. To emphasize her point, the valkyrie dropped down from ceiling in one fluid motion, before jumping back up and sticking again. This time when she made contact, Jaune could see a small series of blue electric bolts jump between Nora's boots and the metal just before impact. Pyrrha shook her head at the show, though her brilliant smile never left her face.

"Magnetism is a little more complicated than that, Nora, but I'm still amazed that you could do something like this." The champion said, and Nora beamed at the praise. Behind her, Cardin and Sky leaned back in front of the display, their arms crossed as they appraised the giant holographic display.

"Whoa, can you imagine playing Duty Calls on this thing? The guns would be bigger than us!" Dove said from his spot on the ground, having sat down next to his leader along with Russell. Cardin scoffed at his suggestion, a predatory grin dancing across his features.

"Forget that. Imagine watching a Spruce Willis movie on this. I bet the speakers are crazy loud too." The team conversed amongst themselves for a while, and JNPR's attention (save Ren) was drawn to the door as it hissed open again. This time, it revealed Horst, followed by Spirit and Team RWBY. Ruby and Weiss remained in the back of the group. The heiress was still dripping here and there from her dive, but Flake seemed to have done a fair job in drying her off. Her solemn expression, however, indicated that she was still downtrodden over her mistake. Ruby stood nearby, offering a consoling pat on the shoulder whenever she dared. Ahead of them, Blake and Yang kept an eye on the heiress as well, leading to a circular formation in the center of the room that allowed Team RWBY to form a protective barrier around Weiss from any prying eyes. Horst remained near them, but Spirit pushed on past to stand near Dr. McKay.

"So, Mr. Miracle. Made any progress on that communications grid?" She asked sardonically. Spirit was pragmatic at heart, and entitled little shits like McKay sent her up a wall faster than anything else. With his attentions focused on the computers, it was a prime opportunity to needle the engineer down to size.

"I have to say, their security measures are quite laughable compared to the Fallen and the Vex." McKay commented, undeterred by Spirit's annoying jab. "We'll have unrestricted access to all but their most private networks, and the only reason those are out of reach is because they're on local connections. If there was a hotspot anywhere near those sites, I could learn every dirty secret Atlas and Mistral ever had."

"That's great Einstein, but how are things going in Vale? We left it undefended while the tournament was going, so let's see what they're broadcasting right now. I can't shake the feeling that something's about to go wrong." Spirit rubbed her arms subconsciously as she admitted that, and McKay wisely did not further rise to her jab. A few more commands, and the display CRDL had been admiring jumped to life, before displaying an arena that the Beacon attendees were familiar with. The Amity Colosseum was a floating marvel of technology. Capable of housing over 500,000 spectators and producing several dynamic environments within the fighting arena, it was the pinnacle of Atlesian and Vale technology. Students and family members from all over Remnant sat in the stands, all of them watching eagerly as the contestants fought for the honor of their respective schools. At least, that was the idea behind the arena.

No one in the Colosseum or the underwater control room was prepared to see a crimson eyed Penny Polendina behead her teammate Ciel on live television.

* * *

A/N: I'm sorry. The next chapter will be the last, barring an epilogue that allows for a sequel. This has been a journey that I have thoroughly enjoyed taking with you all. After the summation of this story, I will take a short break, no longer than a week or two, then begin working on the next installment. As for the next chapter...I am truly sorry. But only through the fires of loss and misery can true steel be forged.


	27. Chapter 27

Penny enslaved. Grimm attacking. Cinder moving closer and closer to victory. And while the machinations of Cinder and Salem dance to their tune, a greater Darkness looms. When HE comes, no one will be ready.

 _The thing about sacrifice is that it's a one way street. When you go all in and lose just so the team makes it out, it doesn't mean they'll make it. And once you make that play, you'll never know if it was worth it in the end. - Cayde-6_

 **Chapter 27**

* * *

There is more than one way to prepare a feast. The plan at the CCT had been foiled by those accursed Guardians, but they had tipped their hand in fighting off the aliens. With great power came great responsibility, and their oaths had drawn the protectors of this festering city away. Leaving it to the wolves that had been creeping in.

The CCT was no longer a viable approach, one that had been countered and was now protected. Still, all they knew was that she wanted access to it. Cinder's plans were still a mystery to the Guardians and their benefactors. So if she couldn't reach their scrolls through the tower, she'd take the tower through their scrolls. The nature of the Cross Continental Transmit System was that once you were in the system, administrative privilege was the only real obstacle in their security. You could connect to any scroll you wished, but certain functions required permissions from the administrators. As such, high end operatives like Winter Schnee had access to more data and functions than Cardin Winchester. But Cinder's virus could jump from one infected scroll to the next simply by piggybacking a message.

One infected device had been all she needed. Within six hours, control of the CCT was hers, and Cinder had so many choices at the end of the day. Participant selection in the tournament, control of the Atlesian Knights, and a curious little file noted as 'P. Polendina'. After some light reading, Cinder couldn't suppress the amused chuckle that escaped her. _Oh, the audacity you have, General_. She thought maliciously. So Atlas had tried their hand at creating artificial life? And judging by everything detailed in little Miss Penny's folio, they had succeeded. Her body was powered by an Aura, a genuine soul that burned with purpose. But surrounding that soul was cold metal and wires, and Penny's existence was not entirely free of control. Tucked away in the file was a program, titled simply 'Override P'.

General Ironwood's paranoia would be his undoing. They had included a control program, one to wrestle Penny's robotic body away from herself. Cinder could only imagine their pathetic excuses for such a measure. 'It was for your own protection.' Or maybe even 'Just a safety precaution'. Penny's soul could not be directly influenced through mechanical or software means, but the connection between her soul and her body could be interrupted. A hidden control chip could direct her combat and safety functions independent from Penny's will, and was only operable by General Ironwood himself.

That is, until Cinder got authorization. The plan was to cause some horrible occurrence that would generate enough negative emotions to bring on the Grimm. Once that happened, the Atlesian Knights would be infected as well, and the forces Ironwood had brought to protect the people of Vale would turn on their charges, and the bitter irony would be the last thing the civilians ever saw. Everything teetered on the edge, as she approached the final moments. Cinder stood above the arena, and the euphoria of the approaching darkness was absolutely intoxicating. For a moment, her golden eyes were hidden as she reveled in her victory. A small voice in the back of her head whispered caution, that the plan was not in effect yet. But she could see them all; Ironwood, Ozpin, the Guardians. All of them were so...unaware. She had them in her grasp, and no one would know until it was too late. Unaware of the impending doom, her cyborg puppet walked out onto the arena floor beside her partner, a handler from Atlas no doubt. Penny Polendina waved all around her as the crowd applauded her entrance, unrestrained happiness visible on her face even from Cinder's vantage point. A cruel smirk cross the half Maiden's face, and she looked down at her scroll. One more tragedy heaped onto this stage.

Her master would be pleased.

"Let the games begin." Cinder purred, and her finger tapped the command that rewired Penny's body. A few more options appeared, and Cinder navigated them flawlessly. Carry out last order. Walk to center of arena. Prioritize targets.

Attack target.

Below, Penny blinked in surprise as a sensation of vertigo overwhelmed her for a moment. Her hand came to her head as she stumbled, trying to shake off the feeling that something was incredibly wrong. Oddly enough, she could not feel her own hand as it came across her face. Penny sent the command to drop her hand, and the appendage obeyed albeit sluggishly. The cyborg girl looked down at her hand, perplexed by the strange sensation. Why was her body behaving this way? Her father had promised that there were no more malfunctions after the safety test in the lab. Beside her, Ciel paused to give her partner a worried look.

"Penny? Is everything alright?" The Atlesian agent asked cordially, her eyes searching Penny for any obvious ailment. Despite her better judgment, Penny forced a smile and nodded.

"I am fine, partner! Just a minor malfunction. I think I am nervous for the semi-finals!" It was an obvious deflection, but Ciel did not have time to delve deeper into this problem. They had reached the center of the arena, a hexagonal design providing a symmetrical staging area as they waited for the two members of Team SSSN to join them in the center of the ring. For some reason, Sun and Neptune were arguing about something on the other end of the arena, and it was delaying them.

Ciel watched the other two bicker about as Penny continued looking at her hand in wonder. The cyborg girl gasped in surprise when her hand suddenly clenched into a fist, completely without her consent. She was further startled when she felt her backpack open seemingly of its own volition. A single blade came to her, the invisible strings directing it flawlessly despite the fact that Penny herself desperately willed it back into its place. Why draw a sword? She wasn't in any danger.

"No, this isn't right." Penny stated in disbelief. Unbeknownst to her, Penny's innocent green eyes morphed into crimson, unfeeling orbs and her normally expressive face schooled into an impassive facade that did not belong on the perpetually cheerful girl.

Ciel turned when she heard Penny's statement, and her eyes widened in alarm when an iron grip wrapped around her throat. The beret wearing agent gasped for breath as she fumbled with Penny's hand on her neck, her wide eyes glued to the single blade clutched in her friend's iron grip. Ciel was no slouch in the strength department, but even the combined strength of both hands could not remove the cyborg's hand from her throat.

"Penny...urk...why?" Ciel managed to gasp out, before the crushing grip arrested any further breathing. Her eyes threatened to roll up into her head even as the edges of her vision darkened. In the corner of her eye, she could vaguely see the blade lift to point at the base of her throat. Penny was distraught, her desperate voice a sharp contrast to her emotionless face.

"No! No, I can't stop it! Someone stop me, I don't want to hurt you! Ciel!" Penny begged, but her rebellious body did not heed her pleas. She could only watch in horror as her own blade, tinged as red as her eyes, sank slowly into Ciel's throat with a sickening squelch. The Atlesian agent's gags were replaced by wet, sucking gasps as her lifeblood poured through Penny's fingers, though her grip did not lessen. To the cyborg girl's utter horror, her arm worked back and forth in a sawing motion, tearing the blade outward through Ciel's throat and separating her head from her shoulders with a savage swipe. Ciel's face went slack as the blood dripped from her severed head, her lifeless corpse collapsing into a twitching mass as the crowd gasped in horror.

Despite her emotionless visage, tears streamed down Penny's face as she held her friend's severed head aloft for all to see. All around, she could see students and contestants covering their mouths in horror. Some retched, others fainted, but one thing was unanimous: they were all terrified, and it was directed at her.

"No! I didn't mean it! Someone stop me, please! I... I..." Penny couldn't finish her pleas as her rebellious body dropped Ciel's head and turned to face Sun and Neptune. The two boys had crossed the distance quickly, but even they were taken aback by the brutal execution. Sun didn't linger on Ciel's corpse, but Neptune seemed thunderstruck by the scene now that he stood over it.

Above the arena, Cinder couldn't help the satisfied smirk that spread across her face. Beside her, Mercury whistled appreciatively.

"Way to go, boss. I'd say you got the whole 'shock and awe' thing down pat." He murmured, too quiet for the surrounding spectators to hear. "I guess we move to phase two?" Cinder did not resist the delicious spark of pleasure that shot down her spine as the plan took form. All around them, the spoiled and arrogant fools watched as her puppet engaged the two members of Team SSSN, more blades dancing out on strings as they split up to divide her fire. This was _her_ victory. Not Watts', not Hazel's, and certainly not Tyrion's. The fall of Vale now belonged to Cinder and her machinations. Torchwick, the White Fang, Mercury and Emerald; all had been pieces in Cinder's game. To see such horror and impact before her was a euphoria to which nothing could compare.

"Yes, time for phase two." Cinder purred. "Have the Atlesian Knights go rogue, and make sure to target civilians. We'll need good footage for the next plan." Without any more instruction, Mercury slunk from his seat as casually as one could after witnessing a murder, acting the role of panicked spectator in order to carry out his mistress' orders. One man running in a panicked stampede of running people. No one would suspect the guy from Haven amidst so many others. After all, wasn't Penny from Atlas? Was it an attack from Atlas, trying to take over Vale and start another war?

The fear was palpable in the air, a sweet tinge to the palate as so many bystanders made the decision between running in terror, or watching in awe as Sun Wukong and Neptune Vasilias were made aware of the multiple mariyonette blades that resided in Penny's backpack. Her cold, emotionless gaze contrasted against her running tears and heartfelt pleas as she begging for someone to stop her, shut her down before she hurt anyone else. She would willingly choose death over further bloodshed.

But that was not her choice to make. Cinder demanded blood, and Penny Polendina would deliver it to her master, willingly or not.

In the distance, more screams could be heard as Atlas' mechanized troops began cutting down civilians, forcing the responding Huntsmen to face down their security forces instead of helping out Sun and Neptune. And further still, the shrill cries of charging Grimm could be heard. The assault on Beacon had begun.

"Penny..." The horrified utterance that came from Ruby filled the control room as all occupants stared at the display in horror. The broadcast had been done in high quality, the cameras and equipment designed to disseminate real time fights all across the world.

It made Ciel's blood far too detailed. These were things they did not wish to see. Blake covered her mouth in horror even as Yang's fell open in shock. Pyrrha gasped in revulsion while Jaune swallowed hard. Cardin flinched and turned away from the sight, and Dove lost his lunch all over the wall with a horrible retching sound. The rest simply stared as Penny fought off the two members of Team SSSN, and silence filled the air. It allowed for Penny's heartfelt pleas to come in loud and clear.

"Turn it off." The command came from Weiss, who seemed to have recovered first. She turned to McKay as he stood shellshocked at the controls, his pale face flinching as she repeated herself louder this time. "Turn it off, now!"

Stammering out an apology, the doctor barely managed to punch in the command, and the feed mercifully cut away just as Penny batted aside Neptune's extended trident. How the two boys managed to fend her off was lost in transition, as the blank screen offered no answers. Even with nothing on the display, they all continued to stare.

The silence was deafening.

"We have to get back there." Blake's statement seemed glaringly obvious from a practical standpoint, but Sky's incredulous cry was also expected. The Guardians turned to face their non-Guardian colleagues even as Dove shook his head as well.

"You can't be serious! Penny just straight up _murdered_ that chick! Let the soldiers and teachers handle it." The squinty eyed student said, his hand cutting the air next to him for emphasis. Horst growled at the comment, but his eyes were still on the display that had gone dark.

"Whatever happened to Penny, it's going to cause a lot of unrest in the city. More people are in Vale now than any other time of year. If they all give in to fear, anger, or anxiety..." The Titan trailed off, but the rest of them knew what he meant. Except for McKay, who knew nothing about Remnant.

"What? They gonna all huddle up over hurt feelings? I can see them dragging that girl out into the street, but I don't see how depressed people are is going to affect the nation." The doctor shrugged as he said that, dabbed his forehead with a damp rag as his eyes nervously flitted from the Guardians to the screen and back. He was obviously the type to mask his distress with humor and snark.

"The Grimm." Ren explained quietly. "They're drawn to negative emotions, and that many people feeling the same way will bring in an army of the creatures. Vale is about to be under seige." Nora and Pyrrha nodded gravely behind him, both bearing grim expressions. Jaune took a deep, settling breath, then turned to look at Horst. Ruby did the same, even as Yang and Blake edged away from Dove's pool of yuck.

"Well Professor? What should we do?" The blonde knight asked. Horst stared at the two team leaders, side by side as they waited for his instruction. He had allowed them free reign in the culling of the facility, but that had been clearing out an abandoned research facility. If they were to deploy to Vale, lives would be at stake. Depending on how grave the situation, thousands of lives could be on the line. They were aspiring young Guardians, and gifted as hell, but Jaune and Ruby just weren't up to that kind of pressure. So, they looked to Horst.

"What would you do?" Horst crossed his arms, and Jaune sighed. No cop out on this one, I guess.

"We need to send as many Guardians to Vale as we can, but at the same time this facility isn't secure. McKay can't clear the whole place by himself. If anything we did today is going to be worth it, someone needs to stay behind with the doctor. We also need to take the fastest ship, since there's no telling what is going on in Vale."

"I could always, you know, _turn it back on_." McKay offered from the back. Jaune shook his head.

"Ironwood and the rest would have shut down the broadcast to prevent more of a panic. Anything we're going to get about the situation back home will be from the CCT. And that's been attacked before. So I think we'd need a team to cover the CCT in Vale too." Horst nodded and rolled his hand around his wrist, indicating that Jaune should continue. The blonde faltered, his face blanking when he realized that was as far as he could plan on the spot. Wincing, he looked over at Ruby for assistance.

"We need to focus on saving the civilians. The Colosseum has the most people in it. We have to get them to Beacon or Vale. We gotta get them away from...Penny." There were quite a few downcast eyes when she said that, but Horst snapped his fingers in irritation.

"That's enough delays. Focus. We only have so much time and so many resources. Now, you have three teams, myself and Spirit excluded, and two ships. How do you deploy them? Keep in mind that we still have not cleared out this complex, and it may have some death traps waiting for us." The Titan exposited. "And also remember that we have no idea what is affecting Miss Polendina, and Spirit's ship is in need of repairs."

"There's also the matter of the Gateway." Spirit cut in. "If we need reinforcements, you're only going to have one ship available to bring them along if you go racing off to the city. The _Infinite Sky_ can hold more people, but she'll be limping in atmosphere." Ruby and Jaune both frowned at that, and the two team leaders thought for a moment. Jaune, of course, was the first to speak.

"Cardin and his guys are the best suited to stay here. If things go wrong in the city, at least we can be resurrected. At the same time, Spirit can stay here with them and get the portal running with Dr. McKay. That way we'll have plenty of room for reinforcements. Then we split up Team RWBY and send Ruby and Weiss to the CCT, then Blake and Yang to the school. Gotta get them ready for evacuation if it comes down to it." The blonde laid out his plan. "My team can go to the Colosseum and help out there. We'll do what we can to get Penny under control." He didn't say kill, or even shut down, a fact that clearly demonstrated that Jaune was planning a nonlethal takedown on the cyborg. It would mean a more difficult fight for JNPR, but that effort alone proved to everyone that JNPR, and their leader especially, were going to be great Guardians.

Ruby really did not like the idea of anyone facing off against Penny. Something must have happened, to cause her system to go haywire or some other weird robot problem. Penny wasn't the kind of person to simply murder someone like that. Hell, she didn't even kill the White Fang members that she faced at the docks. And JNPR didn't know that she was a robot, did they? Ruby opened her mouth to tell them Penny's closely guarded secret, but Summer appeared in the midst of them all before she could get a word in.

"The CCT is broadcasting Vale on all channels. Penny's match was only the beginning. The perimeter has been breached and Grimm are attacking both the city and Beacon itself!" The Ghost reported. "There are also eyewitness accounts of White Fang ships and troops attacking as well. They seem to be working in concert with the Grimm." At the mention of her former colleagues, Blake stiffened and her eyes went wide. They were attacking the school? WITH the Grimm? The thought of it took her breath away, and another cold realization crept into her mind.

If there was a major attack involving the White Fang, Adam would be there. She and Yang would have to face him again. Could she do it? Before Blake could say or do anything, Yang turned toward the door.

"We've got to get to the school then. If we can't keep out the White Fang, they'll tear apart any chance we have at rescuing anyone." The blonde said, the steel in her voice taking on an especially sharp edge when she mentioned the terrorist group. Even though there was no sign of the wound, the memory of of Adam's blade piercing her chest still left a dull, throbbing ache. She owed him payback, both for her own personal injury and the impact it had on Blake.

"We'll handle the White Fang." Blake's voice trembled slightly as she said it, but her eyes were resolute. "I may be able to convince some of them to abandon the attack, but at the very least I know their tactics better than anyone else."

"Good. It's settled then." Horst nodded eagerly. "I'll fly you all to your destinations, then see if I can thin the herd on the perimeter. The fewer Grimm getting in, the more time you have. Once we have the Colosseum under control, JNPR can rendevous at the CCT so we can start forming a plan. Is everyone ready?" None of the Guardians or their fellow students shook their heads, and Horst turned to face CRDL. Cardin had his arms crossed and a disappointed frown on his face, though it did relax slightly when the Titan clapped a massive hand on the boy's shoulder.

"Even though Spirit will be here, I'm counting on you to keep the doctor safe and clear out the facility. If we succeed here, this will be Guardian base of operations. No matter what, you cannot let any of these creatures survive. Can I trust you to handle it, Cardin?" The boy looked away from Horst's visor for a moment, mulling it over for a moment. With Horst as a professor, Cardin couldn't effectively refuse the order, but no one really considered him a straight laced kind of guy anyway. Finally, the young man met Horst's gaze and nodded.

"Alright, fine. But next time we get to smash heads, and someone else can stay on the sidelines." Cardin said eagerly, and he could tell Horst was grinning even with the helmet on.

"That's what I like to hear. Now go make me proud. We're all counting on you." With that, Cardin turned on his heel and walked toward the door. Seeing their leader exit, Russell, Dove and Sky rushed to follow him out.

"You know, I could probably keep everything safe while you're gone. I mean, the water and damage is still a problem, but every functioning door can be locked from this room." McKay pointed out. Spirit cocked her head at his strangely helpful offer, but Horst waved him down.

"Cardin and the others at rear guard is as much for them as it is for us. While Ruby and everyone else here have handled massive amounts of Grimm as both Hunstmen and Guardians, Cardin's team has only experienced stragglers and the ocassional Alpha. To bring them with us to Vale when they could be safe here would nearly guarantee their deaths."

Ruby watched her classmates go with a mixed bag of emotions. On one hand, seeing Cardin not being the total dick basket (RUBY!) that he had been when they had met was a refreshing change of pace. However, the knowledge that any of their friends could die or be dying right at that moment took away any warmth she might have gleaned from Cardin's change in character. Penny in particular, just the memory of her begging and pleading for someone to stop her...the blood that had covered her hands...

Weiss noticed Ruby's stricken expression, and realized that the coming battle probably had Ruby nervous. The reaper was more attached to Penny than anyone else at Beacon, and the sight of the strange girl under some kind of influence and attacking their friends was obviously stressing Ruby out. Before Ruby could descend further into some kind of pseudo depression, Weiss laid a comforting hand on her shoulder. The unexpected contact caused Ruby to blink and look around, before her eyes finally focused on Weiss.

"Are you okay?" The heiress asked quietly, while Spirit and Horst hashed out the final details on approaching Vale. With the planning going on behind them, no one noticed the two partners stepping off to one side. Ruby considered bluffing and saying she was fine, but the words died before ever reaching her lips. Weiss was still freshly mourning Revy's death, something she herself had caused however inadvertently it had been. If anyone could know the dread of having to kill a friend, it would be Weiss.

"No...not really. Weiss, can I tell you a secret?" Ruby couldn't meet her partner's eyes as she made the request, torn between betraying Penny's trust and finding a way to help her. Nonetheless, she could see Weiss nod in her peripheral vision. Penny had made her promise, but right now...it could mean the difference between life or death for Ruby's dysfunctional friend.

"Penny's not very...normal." Ruby admitted, and Weiss scoffed at that.

"I could have told you that. She's so oblivious it's almost sad." The heiress kept her voice down, but her confusion was apparent. "What does that have to do with what we just saw?"

"You don't understand. She's not human." Ruby said, and Weiss' eyes widened marginally. "Penny has a soul, but her body is robotic. General Ironwood and her father made her, but I couldn't tell you why. She's just so sweet and innocent, I didn't want anyone to treat her badly for something she couldn't control." Weiss' mouth creased into a thin line, and Ruby searched her face for any sign of diapproval or rejection. Weiss was very open minded for a Schnee, but even she had her limits. So when Weiss rolled her eyes, Ruby was a bit surprised to say the least.

"Ruby, it's really not that hard to believe that she's a robot. With how she acted when we met her, not to mention her abilities...that's not a stretch. And if Ironwood had a hand in creating her," Weiss' eyes narrowed. "I suspect my father at least knew about the project as well. If she's somehow lost control of her body, we may be able to get it back. But you'll have to tell Jaune and Pyrrha. They're the ones who will have to face her."

"I..." Ruby began to deny it, to say that they wouldn't try to save someone they didn't think was real, but another pointed look from her partner ended her words before they ever formed. Jaune, Nora, Pyrrha, and Ren had been beside them since both teams began training at Beacon. To accuse their friends of being so flippant toward Penny's plight was not just unfair, it was stupid. If they could be trusted with Blake's heritage, JNPR was worthy of Penny's as well.

"Alright. I'll tell them." Weiss nodded and offered a reassuring smile as the two turned around to help finish preparing for their assault.

To say that Jaune was surprised to hear about Penny was a massive understatement. Despite his uncanny application towards tactics, the blonde would be the first to admit that he was socially dense. Having only met Penny a handful of times, all he'd chalked her up to be was really, _really_ cheerful. A girl from Atlas that was always happy to see people and spoke oddly, nothing more. Ruby had told them about the fight at the docks, but surely she had exaggerated. I mean, seriously: a laser?!

Now, Jaune was hoping it had been blown out of proportion for an entirely different reason. The likelihood of fighting Penny at her full power was disconcerting if even half of the things Ruby said were true. But there were a few good things as well. Due to Penny's metal body, Pyrrha was the absolute best choice to go against her. If they were going to have any chance of subduing the robotic girl in time to fix her, JNPR's champion would be vital. And that is precisely what Horst told them to do.

As Jaune sat in his harness, watching the world fly by through the cockpit of the _Iron Symphony_ , he began to wonder how exactly they'd stop a girl would could stop a truck without moving. Granted, becoming Guardians had given all of them something of a strength boost, but that was something reserved for Nora or Yang. Jaune took hits like that, he didn't dish them out. And if Penny was fighting in the Colosseum, the chances of one of their friends getting hurt were quite high.

Before Jaune could get too lost into his own thoughts, Victory appeared in front of Pyrrha next to him. The construct's holographic flames were subdued as he trotted around on thin air, before turning his head to look at his Guardian.

"I do not wish to alarm you, but further reports from the CCT have been intercepted. Penny has defeated Sun Wukong and Neptune Vasilias, but Team CFVY covered their escape. Coco Adel's team is currently holding off Ms. Polendina. Nothing has been heard from Headmaster Ozpin, but General Ironwood is deploying Atlesian Knights to combat the Grimm." Pyrrha's Ghost reported, and the champion shared a worried look with her partner. Jaune swallowed nervously, but he was glad that Sun and Neptune had managed to get away. They didn't need more deaths, especially at the hands of an afflicted Penny.

"What could Ozpin be doing at a time like this? Surely he'd be in the thick of it with everyone else, fighting off the Grimm?" Jaune wondered aloud. Across from them, Yang winced at the question. Headmaster Ozpin had been so cool to all of them, always offering support and a smile. And he'd assigned Horst to RWBY and JNPR, so he couldn't be one of the bad guys. But why would he leave the battle?

"It's not up to us to tell Ozpin what to do." Horst's voice came from the pilot seat, even as the first glimpse of Sanus, Vale's home continent, rushed by in a blur of green and brown. The ship was flying in atmosphere, but still moving south at an alarming rate. If Horst flew any closer to the ground, trees would be scraping the keel of the ship. "We are going to hold off the Grimm and stop the White Fang. If Oz has something else to focus on, let him. We will handle the invasion." Horst twisted the controls and rolled the ship until it was almost ompletely upside down, the action narrowly missing several large Nevermore taking off to head further into the kingdom. For several perilous seconds, Jaune hung in the air, restrained only by his harness and the death grip he had on Pyrrha's hand. The sudden roll brought a wave of nausea, and Jaune covered his mouth with his free hand as he turned a sickly shade of green. Directly below him, Yang's eyes turned crimson as she narrowed them dangerously.

"Don't. You. Dare." It was all she had to say, but the promise of pain should Jaune live up to his nickname of 'Vomit Boy' was woefully apparent. Another queasy roll, and Horst had the ship level again. Jaune grimaced as he swallowed down what bile has refused his instruction, before offering Yang an apologetic smile.

"Hehe. Sorry." The blonde rolled her eyes and shook her head, just glad that she wasn't wearing Jaune's lunch. At the weapon station next to Horst's seat, Ruby called up a rear facing camera and saw all three Nevermore fading into the distance. They were flying fast, but they had no hope of catching the _Iron Symphony_. Horst noticed her action, and nodded.

"Missile controls unlocked. Make sure they don't follow us." He said with an invisible smirk. Ruby grinned widely and noticed a previously gray icon turn vibrant green, and she pressed it. Once she did so, three red boxes appeared on the display, focusing on the following Grimm. When the red boxes turned green as well, another selection titled 'LAUNCH' appeared at the bottom of her screen. Ruby pressed it, and three blasts of air could be heard from behind the crew bay. On Ruby's screen, three short tubes trailing lines of smoke rushed toward the flying Grimm behind them, and she was pleased when three explosions blotted out their images. When the smoke cleared, none of the Nevermores remained in the sky.

"Targets are down." Ruby reported. She couldn't suppress the giddy feeling she got when using ordnance like that, and really there was no need to. Horst nodded at her report and pressed a few buttons, and her screen returned to observation only once more.

"Good job. Unfortunately the fight with the Fallen used up most of my munitions, so we'll have to wait until we get to Vale before we use any more. The _Iron Symphony_ isn't kitted out for sustained battle. She blasts a way through and goes." He nodded his head toward the other members of the team. "If I hadn't sprung for the expanded crew bay, you'd all be strapped to missiles." He intended it as a joke, but Yang and Nora whooped in excitement anyway.

"Hell yeah! That's the best way to ride!" Yang crowed, and Nora offered a thumbs up as well. Beside Yang, Blake shook her head dejectedly and placed a hand across her face.

"You two are hopeless." The Faunus muttered, though Yang still heard it. The brawler looped her arm through the harnesses and ruffled Blake's hair, fingertips ghosting across ears as well. Blake had elected not to wear her bow, as much a statement of pride as it was to attract attention within the White Fang. So when Yang's hands made contact, the shiver it sent down Blake's spine was woefully unbidden and she cut her eyes over at her partner.

"I told you not to mess with the ears." She growled, and Yang shrugged sheepishly. Of course, she considered herself immune to any glare Blake could manage. Didn't mean there wouldn't be payback later.

"Sometimes I can't help myself." Yang bemoaned virtuously, before offering another brilliant smile that did nothing to curb Blake's irritation.

As the teams bickered and nagged each other, the _Iron Symphony_ began passing over dense foliage, and the distant light of Vale could be seen in the waning sunlight. At least, the evening appeared to be approaching, but Horst snarled as he saw the true reason for the darkness.

Vale was on fire, and the Grimm were everywhere. Hearing their mentor's angered noise, JNPR and RWBY all looked ahead to see their home burning. Weiss and Pyrrha gasped in horror, and Yang's eyes narrowed as what mirth she had found in teasing Blake ceded to a simmering anger. The time for play was over.

"Alright everyone! Remember the plan! We're coming up on Beacon now. Yang, Blake, you're up! Ruby and Weiss, standby for second drop." The Titan barked as he decelerated hard, sending the bow of the ship upward as he came up on Beacon Tower. Beside him, Ruby unbuckled her restraints and stood, pulling Crescent Rose from the webbing on the rear of the seat. Weiss pulled down on her harness and stood as the bars released her, allowing Myrtenaster the form in her hand from Flake's transmat. The ship floated closer to Beacon, ironically enough the cliff that had flung them deep into the Emerald Forest twice now. Horst angled the _Iron Symphony_ to where the rear thrusters were pointed toward the school, and Blake and Yang disappeared in a flurry of Glimmer. On the exterior cameras, Horst could see the two fledgling Guardians land on the cliff edge, and Yang tossed a thumbs up before the two charged into the school. It was worrying to note that there were no students to be seen on the grounds from the vantage point of their height. While it was likely that many were at the Colosseum, it was ludicrous to think that every student on campus had attended the tournament.

 _Enough._ He chastised himself, mindful of the other six Guardians in his crew bay. _No matter what the problem is, Yang and Blake have it handled._ Dropping them off at the cliffside gave Blake and Yang access to the dorms above all else, and Horst would have to fly further across the plateau to reach the CCT. He was there in moments, weaving in between Beacon's brilliant white structures and stone towers before he reached the courtyard that housed Vale's portion of the CCTS. He turned in the pilot seat to give Ruby and Weiss a meaningful look, helmet be damned.

"This isn't just Vale. If we lose the CCT, all of Remnant goes back to the stone age." He said, his voice brokering no quarter. This was the most important part of the mission. Both young Guardians steeled themselves, and they gave a resolute nod each.

"We'll get it done." Ruby promised. With that, Summer and Flake pulled them from the ship, and they were airborne. Ruby and Weiss appeared thirty feet in the air, floating for a moment until they completely materialized. As soon as they finished the transmat, a white glyph appeared beneath them, courtesy of Weiss. Despite the projection being astral in nature, Ruby landed solidly in a crouch. When she stood again, the two dropped down to the ground the rest of the way, Weiss gliding more than falling. It looked similar to what Jaune had done in the underwater complex, only much more controlled. Ruby cocked a brow at her teammate's descent, and Weiss offered an indignant glare in return.

"What?" Ruby snickered, and then daintily fluttered her fingertips.

"Oh nothing, just notice how slowly snowflakes fall around here." She said, and Weiss flushed in indignation.

"You just wish you could do it." The heiress sneered, and Ruby blew a raspberry.

"Nope. I'm all speed. I don't have time to float." She boasted, and Weiss just rolled her eyes. Together, the two turned around and began scanning the courtyard. Curiously enough, despite the alarms blaring in the distance, there were no signs of any security around Vale's most vital asset. Anywhere. No guards from either Vale or the Atlesian military could be seen, and their absence brought on another pang of worry in Ruby's gut. All around a courtyard that was busy at all times of day, not a single sould stirred.

There was something very wrong here,

"Where is everyone?" Weiss asked, voicing Ruby's thoughts as they slowly entered the tower. Inside, the foyer where they had announced their ascension to Guardians stood empty. There were no guards or staff to speak off, though a string of bullet holes across the wall above the elevators immediately set the two on their guard. Ruby noticed it first and whispered a quick 'hey!' to Weiss, then pointed her chin at the damage. When she noticed it, Weiss' brow furrowed and she spun the cylinder on Myrtenaster. Ruby unfolded Crescent Rose into its scythe form, and together the two crept forward into the center of the room. In the center, the desk where most of the staff were to sit during daytime hours. Weiss stepped into the circle from a gap at the side, allowing Ruby to remain where her large wepon would do most good. When she entered the circle, the heiress summoned Flake to begin scanning the Tower for any discrepancies. While the Ghost began delving into the nearest terminal, Weiss' eyes wandered elsewhere. She gasped sharply when the severed hand on the floor crossed her vision.

Ruby heard the sharp intake of breath and flew to Weiss' side, her eyes searched for what had shocked her partner. When she saw the severed hand, the reaper took a step back as well. The two young Guardians stared at the severed appendage for a few moments, but thankfully Ruby snapped out of it first. She looked over to see Weiss' eyes, ice blue and wide, and she set a hand on the heiress' shoulder.

"Weiss." A few blinks, but no response otherwise. "Weiss! Come on, we have to tell the others." Finally, her partner managed to look away from it, taking a deep breath to settle herself. The two moved back out into the open ground of the foyer, and Ruby put a finger to her ear as Summer began communicating with the other Ghosts.

"Guys, something's wrong here." She said into the comm. "We found signs of a fight, but there's no one here. Dead or alive." No one responded for a moment, but another click in her head came several seconds later. It was Blake's voice.

 _"We know. Come to the mess hall, but be quiet. The White Fang have taken hostages."_ The Faunus' tone was subdued, enough to tell that if what she was seeing didn't bother her, the actions of the White Fang did. Yang didn't weigh in on whatever they had found, and her silence was enough to convince Ruby that speed was a factor here. With that in mind, she collapsed Crescent Rose and then turned to Weiss. The Schnee heiress looked down at Ruby's offered hand, and then back up at her with a raised brow.

"What?" She asked, stepping to the side as she placed Myrtenaster on her hip. Ruby offered her hand again, and this time winked.

"Come on, do you trust me?" The reaper asked. Weiss rolled her eyes and grabbed Ruby's hand.

"Of course I do, but what are you-GAAAAAAAAAHHHHH!" Whatever poise and bearing Weiss had disappeared as the two of them rocketed forward, their forms obscuring by a spinning whirlwind of rose petals. The grounds flashed before Weiss' eyes at fearsome speeds, walls and hallways she had become familiar with speeding by almost faster than she could reasonably predict. A cobblestone pathway later, and suddenly her feet were underneath her once more. Weiss tottered on unsteady legs for a moment as Ruby rolled straight out of the cloud into a crouch, clearly more used to her own Semblance than Weiss was. After she regained her balance, the heiress joined her partner as they both peeked into a nearby window.

In the past, RWBY and JNPR had nearly destroyed the mess hall with a food fight of epic proportions, one that had ended with a collapsed column and two Yang sized holes in the ceiling. Now, the large chamber was in disarray for a far less innocent reason. All around where long tables had once stood, clumps of students and a few staff here and there sat, all bound and more than not bearing some manner of injury. And standing guard around each cluster of prisoners were quite a few White Fang, at least eight soldiers per group. In the center of the room, the largest group of hostages sat, and Ruby's eyes widened in horror when she recognized two of them.

The head cooks, Mario and Luigi, sat beaten and bloodied near the edge of the group, Luigi on his back nursing a broken arm while Mario was slumped forward, his face hidden by a bloodied mop of hair. Both men had visible bruises and cuts, and it was clear that their auras had been depleted. None of the Guardians could see any injured White Fang, so it was very likely that the two veteran Huntsmen had been taken by surprise. Ruby and Wiess shared a worried look, but anything Ruby was about to say died as their comm picked up once again.

 _"We see you guys."_ Yang's voice was as somber as Blake's had been. _"Blake and I are on the other side, near the kitchen exit."_ Ruby and Wiess leaned over to get a better look, spotting Yang's yellow and brown form before ducking down once again.

"What are we going to do? It's going to be tough fighting them around hostages." Weiss muttered quietly, her words transmitted by the Ghosts. Ruby bit her lip and thought about it. There were way too many bad guys to distract, as four Guardians wouldn't be a good enough prize to ignore hostages if things went south. While half their number could engage Team RWBY, the other half could hurt the students without being interrupted. Their first priority had to be getting the hostages out.

"I can't carry a lot of people at a time with my Semblance, so we'll need to move quickly." Ruby suggested. "If you guys cause enough ruckus, I can get in and carry the hostages out. But I'll need Weiss' help to protect them while I run back and forth. Is there anything you guys can do to distract them? Y'know, besides just fighting in general?"

 _"Oh yeah. Their leader has a massive hate boner for Blake. He's the one that stabbed me back when we went through their base. If we can get HIS attention, the lackeys will stand around and watch all day."_ Yang said darkly, and it didn't sit well with how her tone sounded. Yang seemed _eager_ to hurt someone. It was more than just defending her teammates or protecting innocent people. The way she so callously mentioned her own death, and the growl that pervaded her words, it sounded as if Yang had something painful planned for the guy. It felt...wrong.

"Well, where is he then? We can't just storm in and expect them to go running to daddy. What if he's not even here?" Weiss offered her thoughts while Ruby remained silent.

 _"He's here. Adam wouldn't miss a chance to show off how superior he is. Especially to me. If I show my face, they'll go running to him."_ Blake advised. So the plan was, Blake comes in and get the White Fang's attention, Ruby and Weiss get the hostages out, then the beat down commences? Ruby could get behind that. But somehow, it felt like she would have to play mediator when Adam showed up. Yang and Blake were both out for blood. Not that he didn't deserve the butt kicking that was coming his way, Ruby just didn't want things to get so personal.

"Alright, Blake, we're ready when you are." Ruby said finally, extending Crescent Rose once again. Seriously, if it wasn't so cumbersome, she'd just keep it out all the time. Across the hall from where Weiss and Ruby waited, they could see Blake step back before taking a running start at the window.

* * *

The _Iron Symphony_ banked hard over Amity Colosseum, narrowly avoiding several large Griffons that were harrassing aircraft in the area. The winged Grimm swooped past, using their clawed feet to scrape the ship's armored plating to little effect. If Horst had been required to open the hatch, the Grimm might have been a problem. But Team JNPR could deploy without ever stepping out the airlock.

Jaune, Pyrrha, Nora, and Ren all appeared in the center of the ring, several yards away from where Coco Adel was desperately trying to hold off Penny's blades. The stylishly dressed leader of team CFVY was using her minigun to adequate effect, using a storm of bullets to push Penny's puppet blades back before they had a chance to do damage. Another factor that worked in her favor was Penny's jerky, uncoordinated behavior. Her movements were robotic and lacked the fluid motion that came with her usual prowess. It was as if her soul wasn't in the fight. That was good, all things considered, but Coco only had so many rounds in that minigun of hers.

Jaune was the first to move, charging into Coco's fire and slamming his shield into Penny. Coco's rounds bounced off of his barrier, but Penny barely even moved from the full tilt charge. She did, however, stop attacking Team CFVY. Jaune leaned back and drove the heel of his foot into Penny's instep as hard as he could, and this time he was rewarded with sparks and a stumble before she swiped at him with a few of her blades.

With Jaune distracting Penny, Coco and her team stopped firing and withdrew, backing off a few paces as Ren joined the blonde knight. Together, with Ren's force manipulation and Jaune's stalwart shield, they were able to hold off the ginger robot in her condition. Pyrrha and Nora stood between the fight and Coco, watching the boys fight while trying not to hurt their naive friend.

Coco let her beret fall to one side, revealing more brown hair and letting her sunglasses slip a bit, revealing chocolate orbs that were hazy with exhaustion. Despite her delicate appearance and stylish clothes, Coco's strength was almost on par with Yang or Yatsuhashi, and she had gone toe to toe with Penny. Judging by the dirty tears and torn cuffs on Coco's designer sweater, things had not gone well.

"You guys remember Penny being a little more, well, _innocent_ than this?" Coco asked with a haggard look on her face, a hairline crack in her glasses prominently showcased by the glint of the stadium lights. "Because I didn't really think that decapitation was in her vocabulary."

"She's not herself." Pyrrha almost felt like she was making excused for the robotic girl, but this was a very special case. "Whatever has control of her body, Penny is not behind this violence. She's been begging us to stop her. We have to find a way to take her down." Her arm became wreathed in the magnetic glow of her Semblance, and suddenly Penny's fluid movement slowed to a crawl, as if her limbs had become incredibly heavy. A groan of protesting metal could be heard, and Jaune used the delay as he slammed his shield into Penny's face, knocking her to the ground.

"Penny, how do we stop this?" The blonde asked, panting for breath as he used both his shield and his sword to pin the robot to the ground. Even with his strength and Pyrrha's Semblance, it was still a tough fight to keep her on the ground. "What's wrong with you?"

"I do not know! I cannot control my body, and there are strange commands echoing in my head. I am sorry." For an emotionless, apathetic visage, Penny's words were uncharacteristically heart wrenching. "Please, you have to stop me before I hurt someone else!" As her voice pleaded with him, Penny's body began to make a concerted effort to throw off Jaune's strength as well as Pyrrha's influence. Jaune's mind raced as stared into her lifeless, dull eyes, and he could feel her arms straining against the edge of his shield. Whatever had control over the girl, it was gaining power.

"Bastion, I need you to scan for any incoming signals. Something has to be controlling her remotely." Jaune ordered, and his Ghost appeared at his elbow, hovering just out of reach in case Penny got free. The shield-like shell expanded and contracted as the Ghost examined both Penny and all outgoing frequencies in the area.

"Whatever is controlling her is built into her body. I will monitor the area for any new signals, but we will not be able to break this control until the controller sends another command." Bastion reported. Jaune let out a heated breath in frustration, and cried out in surprise when Penny not only unseated him, but threw him a few feet backwards. Apparently, the onboard computer that was turning Penny into a ginger Terminator was not having all this strategy.

"We've got to hold her off until whoever is doing this sends another signal. If they don't, I guess we'll just have to remove the hard drive." Jaune told the rest of the team. "I mean, it can't be that hard, right?" No sooner had the words left his mouth, one of Penny's marionette blades went singing past his cheek, missing only thanks to a last minute intervention by Pyrrha. Not to be caught off guard, Jaune tucked behind his shield as best as possible as a slew of the swords rattled off of it, Penny's automated defense system trying to overpower him instead of outwitting him. Had the real girl been in control, she would have likely attacked high to force his shield upward, then taken out his legs. Whatever intelligence that was in control now lacked such finesse.

With Jaune taking a majority of the beating, Pyrrha remained at range to safely use her Semblance while Nora and Ren charged in, each taking a swing at Penny from behind in an attempt to distract her from their leader. Ren spun away, slashing with both blades of storm flower and digging a significant amount of flesh and clothing away from her right arm. After he passed, a sparking wire and the torn remains of her faux skin hung limply from her elbow. Nora's attack was far more devastating, using the swing of her mighty hammer to take Penny's legs out from under her. Her expression remained unchanged even as the artificial girl hit the ground, and Nora's follow up downward swing would have likely ended her had it not been for a last second block. Penny's ragged arms came up in a cross at the last second, stopping the hammer with a loud clang of metal on metal.

Nora pushed downward as hard as she could, using the leverage of Magnhild's haft to fight Penny's strength. While the two girls struggled against each other, Jaune slid in next to them and placed a gloved hand on each side of Penny's face.

"Penny, how can we get you out of there? Your body won't stop fighting us," he pleaded, and she seemed to think for a moment.

"Every time my memory core has been exposed, I was deactivated." She said worriedly, even as her body struggled to get a knee underneath the head of Nora's hammer. Pyrrha trotted up closer and exerted her magnetic abilities over the limb, slowly dragging it back down. "I think it's in my head, but I can't be certain. Try the back of my head!" Before her rebellious body could do anything to stop him, Jaune dug his fingers into Penny's hair and yanked as hard as he could, tearing it away from her metallic skull to reveal a metallic, smooth surface. He ignored the nausea that rose in his stomach He patted it hurriedly, trying to search for some sort of button or imprint while controlling her head at the same time. The robotic Huntress shook her head groggily, and slid both legs up underneath Nora's hammer. The valkyrie's hands began to tremble, such was the battle of strength between she and Penny.

"Guys, I can't keep her down much longer." Nora advised, her voice strained from the effort of keeping Penny pinned. Her arms shook slightly from the fatigue that burned in her muscles, but Nora wasn't out of the fight. She'd only begun, really, but Penny was proving to be quite persistent. Ren stooped down and drove the blades of his weapons downward through Penny's wrists, sending sparks everywhere as blade met metal, and was successful in pinning them into the ground. The action caused the robot brain to pause, and then start working even harder on getting her feet underneath Magnhild.

"I think I got it. There's a switch at the base of her skull, but she won't sit still!" Penny's head turned, and Jaune swore as he drew his hand back. "Agh, she _bit_ me!" Before he could get another grip, the head of Nora's hammer went flying past him, nearly busting Nora in the shnozz as well. With the main pressure keeping her down, another kick unseated Ren next, and Penny tore her arms out from the blades that imprisoned them. The act shredded her skin and clothing, and one of the hands no longer responded to commands.

From her vantage point in the city of Vale, Cinder watched the readouts from her new toy with a mixture of bemusement and slight irritation. According to the command program, the robot girl's combat efficiency was compromised, and it was beginning to become clear that Miss Polendina would be losing the fight against her friends. Apparently, whatever combat protocol that had allowed Cinder control over the girl was not as deadly as the genuine article. _Too bad,_ she mused. _But as they say, easy come, easy go._ With that thought in mind, Cinder scrolled past the readouts that declared Penny's combat status, to a little icon colored red with crossbars of black and yellow underneath it. When she thumbed it, another message appeared.

 _Initiate Defense Protocol: Burn Notice. Platform will be destroyed. Y/N?_

Cinder pressed the 'Y' option, and the entire program closed, leaving only a transparent screen. Content that the deed was done, Cinder placed her scroll on the chair beside her and stood. The cafe she had chosen for her observation post provided balcony seats, and from there she could already see the many silhouettes of Grimm approaching the city. The cacophony of sadness, horror, and rage caused by the brutal murder of Penny's comrade had done wonders to attract the creatures, and the fractured defense forces stood no chance of fighting off an assault of such magnitude. The fall of Vale had begun.

Her scroll vibrated, indicating an incoming message, and a troubled frown crossed her features. No one else had her direct contact save Mercury and Emerald, both of whom were engaged with filming the carnage. Unless something came up, they were to broadcast the effects of the virus on Atlas' mechanical toops, not text her to see what was up! The parasitic Maiden snatched up her scroll with a snarl and opened it, and sure enough a single message waited for her. Strangely though, there was no return number or address listed. With no other recourse, Cinder opened the file – and promptly dropped her scroll when a hologram appeared above the screen.

A single eyeball, bright yellow and glowing, stared balefully at her. Scrolls had no holographic feature, save for a few games that she had seen the children play, and none of them had been so outward with their displays. The eye tilted its gaze slightly, as if thinking, and then it narrowed in irritation.

 _"Source confirmed. Identity: Cinder Fall. Alleged member of Haven Training Academy. Transcripts contain inconsistencies when matched against census records. Commands for Penny Polendina issued from this device."_ The voice was female, but flat and automated. When it spoke next, however, there was plenty of emotion that she could detect. Contempt, more than anything. _"You are the one responsible."_

"You must be one of the Guardians' playthings." Cinder's reply was smug, and a self-satisfied smile crossed her face. "Did you not enjoy our little performance?"

 _"Penny is a young, naive soul. You forced her to kill her friend, and to fight those that she trusts."_ The little eyeball accused, and Cinder tossed her hair with a scoff.

"I never would have been able to do such terrible, terrible things if Atlas hadn't programmed their little robot as they did. With commands like that in her head, was she ever really a little girl? Or was she just a puppet, dancing on strings?" The eye did not reply, but Cinder saw the screen on her scroll flash, and soon a million letters and numbers flashed by at a fevered pace. The plan was in motion, and there was little else she needed her scroll for, but seeing all that data go racing past sent a faint chill of trepidation down Cinder's spine. What kind of computer program was this little thing?

 _"We know who you are. We will find you."_ With that, the power supply on the scroll overloaded, and the yellow eye disappeared. Cinder watched her device continue to smolder, its innards melted together by the intensity of the heat, and she couldn't shake the feeling that her plan was in jeopardy. She had to find the Vault, and quickly.

Back in the arena, Penny's eyes widened before a foreboding hum began vibrating her chest, and she brought her good hand up and placed it at her throat. She looked around, panic evident on her face, and she appeared to be in charge of her own faculties once more. Bastion appeared at Jaune's shoulder, and her voice was filled with worry.

"I traced the source of the signal and destroyed the command device, but I couldn't stop the order! She's going to detonate Penny's core!" The Ghost reported, and Jaune's jaw dropped. What kind of monster would put something like that on Penny, the most bright and cheerful Huntress he'd ever met? And someone had not only put in on Penny's body, but someone else had used it. After this was all said and done, the blonde would make it a point to discover the identities of both monsters. But right now, he had to figure out how to save Penny.

"Quick, get her out of there! Penny, are you in a chip or something?" When he rushed up to her side, Penny did nothing to defend herself, Jaune to think that the automated defense was powered down in favor of the detonation process. Going back to where he had removed her hair, Jaune punched more than pressed the small indentation. The part slid out, displaying a small, square chip for removal, even as Penny's body slumped forward. What he did not like was the increase in temperature. Already, a building hum could be heard coming from within her metal body, and Jaune knew he didn't have much time.

The rest of the team got a good look as Jaune continued to dig around in Penny's skull, and they could see the brilliant light that began to exude from her injuries. Jaune didn't see it, so focused was he in trying to remove her memory core. Nora and Pyrrha shared a worried glance, and the champion of Mistral bit her lip. Calling on her Semblance, she hoped and prayed that Jaune could forgive her after this.

"Jaune, get away from her!" Nora cried, but Jaune ignored her. The knight grasped at the chip, trying to rip it out without success. When it refused to give, he stopped, lest he destroy the very thing he was trying to save. He ran his fingers along the rail, ignoring the heated metal that burned him even through his gloves. Smooth track, maybe deeper inside the head. No, nothing moving, try underneath the chip. No good there, either. Maybe something external along-

Before he could finish prying the memory core that made up Penny's personality out of her self destructing body, a different hum reverberated through his chest as his armor decided to hurtle fifty feet behind him, and take its owner with it. Jaune was wrenched from Penny's lifeless body, cursing and grasping for her even as he flew, when the core detonated.

Everything that was Penny's life and energy erupted spectacularly, blowing metal parts outward in all directions with a magnificent explosion. Ren and Nora joined their leader on the ground as the shockwave and heat knocked them over, Pyrrha standing only due to how far away she had been. Jaune came sliding across the ground, his armor smoking and his undersuit singed from his proximity to the blast. As soon as he came to a rest, Jaune scrambled up to his knees, hoping against hope that Penny's memory chip had survived. When he saw the bitter end, Jaune gritted his teeth in anger and averted his eyes.

Nothing but a crater remained.

A circle, perhaps twenty five or thirty feet in diameter, had been blackened and sunk into the ground. All around them, charred bits of concrete and duraplast littered the area, as well as a few pieces of metal and cloth. Nothing was recognizable, and there was no sign of Penny. Pyrrha covered her mouth with both hands, horrified at what had been done to such a cheerful, innocent soul. Nora hid her eyes in Ren's jacket, even as the ninja himself looked on sadly. Jaune remained on his knees, clenching his hands into fists until his knuckles popped. He'd had her. Goddamn it, he'd had her right there! Sure, there was no body to put her in, but they could have held onto her until Atlas could build a new one! But no, he couldn't do anything for her. He'd been useless.

"Jaune..." Pyrrha's voice was so close, but he did not look up at her. He couldn't, not after that failure. "Jaune, we need to go." She insisted, and he felt her hand grasp his shoulder. The champion felt the same sorrow Jaune did, and could only begin to grapple with her own guilt. But they did not have time to mourn the dead while the living were in danger. Whomever had orchestrated this assault was still out there, and more than just Penny would die if the Guardians did nothing.

"I had her, Pyrrha. She was in my hand, I could have saved her." He muttered, though if she heard or not he did not care. Oh God, what was he going to tell Ruby? Ruby had been Penny's closest friend, and she had no idea that the eccentric girl from Atlas was gone.

The sound of a long, droning siren jostled the knight from his mourning, and he looked up at the sky in search of the cause. They had all been instructed on the alarm system, a citywide klaxon that was to alert a massive Grimm attack. They'd even heard it tested a few times, making lunch a little more exciting on a weekend. To hear it used in earnest sent a chill down his spine. And even before the first long note faded, a massive Nevermore appeared above the arena. The avian Grimm screeched, releasing an unearthly sound that best resembled a million knives on a single chalkboard.

Jaune saw it, and in another time, another life maybe, he would have been afraid. That was the biggest Nevermore he'd ever seen in person, including the one Ruby had decapitated during initiation. And all around the massive beast, Griffons clouded the dark sky and filled it with their wails and cries. It was an extraordinary amount of Grimm, and he knew that there were countless others pouring in from all sides. And even knowing that, he couldn't see them as Grimm. They were no longer soulless, savage creatures. To Jaune, they were an extension of this plot, this dastardly plan that had already cost the lives of Penny and her teammate, not to mention the civilians that had undoubtedly been cut down by the Grimm. No, these creatures were an extension of the true culprit, dancing like puppets on strings.

Fear had been replaced by simmering, contemptuous hatred. A cold burning fire welled up in Jaune's gut, and when the Nevermore above screeched again, it took every last shred of his control not to roar his defiance back at it. Now was not the time for blind rage, though. He could not afford such careless mistakes that followed fury of that magnitude.

"Bastion." He whispered, and Jaune's normally hopeful demeanor had been replaced by cold steel. "Did you get a confirmation on the mastermind?" His white Ghost nodded, and displayed a name and an image of Cinder Fall, the sultry golden gaze that she pointed toward the camera doing nothing but further angering Jaune. He stared right back, memorizing the witch's face down to the last minute detail, then pointed toward Beacon.

"Broadcast her identity to all Atlesian channels and all Guardians. See if you can block any further broadcasts from her as you get them. She probably has more than one scroll." Looking up at the Nevermore, the blonde snarled in irritation. "Before we can go after Cinder, we need to evacuate the Colosseum. As long as the Grimm are swarming, the airships will be torn apart."

"If we get them to Beacon, there's more than enough room in the school to protect everyone." Ren suggested calmly, and Pyrrha nodded in agreement.

"Not to mention we can link up with Ruby and the others. We'll have to ride with the civilians, but it should be enough to protect them." The champion added, and Jaune gave his approval in the form of tapping the side of his blade against her leg and grinning.

"We've got a plan. That woman will not beat us. Now get ready!" He barked, and the Nevermore finally punctured the protective force field that had kept it out of the stands for so long. With JNPR the only obvious prey, the massive bird dove down toward them with an ear splitting screech. The team prepared, each readying their weapons to beat the feathers off of the flying abomination that dared challenge them. They were team JNPR; what chance did a flying Grimm turkey stand against them?

As the Nevermore approached the ground, talons flared out to snatch the entire team up in one swoop, Jaune gritted his teeth and yelled, "Split!"

One collected group became four fast targets, and the Nevermore couldn't decide who to follow. Its indecisiveness caused the bird to flared its wings and slow dramatically, hammering the arena with gusts of wind as powerful muscles kept a heavy body in the air. It flapped, made a lot of noise, and displaced a lot of dirt and dust, but it wasn't capable of defending itself for a few precious seconds.

Seconds JNPR took full advantage of.

Nora came flying in from the left, spinning in the air as she swung her hammer for maximum momentum. When she made contact, the bone mask of the Nevermore fractured with a satisfying crack, and the bird squealed as its head was knocked to one side...directly into Jaune's path. Using the force behind Nora's strike, Jaune had his blade meet the Nevermore halfway, and the ground before him became coated with blood as his sword dug deep into its flesh. Despite the strength behind his blade and the momentum left over from Nora's strike, it wasn't enough to decapitate the immense creature. The bird swung its head wildly, throwing Jaune back and sending his sword with him.

The Nevermore had been bloodied and heavily injured, but its still swatted at Pyrrha and Nora with its wings. Nora took a glancing blow that sent her tumbling, but Pyrrha slid underneath the wing, Milo extended into its spear form as she aimed for the crook underneath the Grimm's shoulder. The body shifted and moved, a part of the Nevermore's reaction as it snapped at Jaune and Ren. But she hadn't become the champion of Mystral by missing targets. She brought the tip of the spear into the Grimm's flesh, driving it with enough force to pass through the feathers that were tough enough to act as armor. Using her strength, already formidable before she had ascended, Pyrrha drove Milo deep into the Nevermore's side, easily obscuring half the weapon.

The Nevermore screeched and floundered, one of its legs coming out from underneath it as the creature struggled to regain its strength. It tried to crush Pyrrha with the wing she sat under, but Jaune came sliding in and caught the limb with a raised shield. Using himself as a brace, Jaune nodded to Pyrrha and she smirked. With her partner holding off retaliation, Pyrrha spun, Akuo at the ready, and slammed the center of her shield into her spear with all of her strength. It sent Milo driving the rest of the way through the Nevermore, and the bird finally collapsed with a weak trill of protest. The Grimm died, and began dissolving immediately. Pyrrha used her Semblance to drag her weapon out of the disintegrating carcass and back to her hand, and together the four members of JNPR stood around a foe that, just a few months earlier, would have likely killed one or all of them.

Now, it didn't stand a chance.

"We need to get the people to Beacon." Jaune said morosely, his eyes flitting back over to the blast where Penny had detonated. "Start looking for lifeboats, see if we can-"

 _"This is not a tragedy. This is not an accident."_ The voice cut off whatever Jaune was going to say next. _"This is what happens when you hand over your trust, your safety, and you CHILDREN to men who claim to be our Guardians..."_ Jaune gritted his teeth as he looked around the ring. Most of the people that had been in the stands had already moved off toward the docks. A few lingered, too panicked or stricken by the fight with the Nevermore, but the real problem hung far above them. The cameras. For whatever reason, the cameras were still rolling. Bastion appeared at his shoulder, and a simple nod confirmed who was broadcasting everything.

"Cinder..." The blonde snarled.

 _"...but are, in reality, nothing more than men."_ The contempt in Cinder's voice was tangible, and resonated around the arena through the state of the art PA system. _"Our Academies' Headmasters wield more power than whole armies, and one was audacious enough to control both. They cling to this power in the name of peace and yet, what do we have here?"_ Jaune shook his head and looked to Bastion.

"Get her off the PA! Block her scroll, do whatever you have to do to override her." He paused, hesitated, then set his jaw. "Then give me the mike." Bastion nodded, and began tittering as her superior firmware and ghostware infilitrated Cinder's scroll and the CCT itself. While his Ghost worked, Pyrrha grabbed his hand in worry.

"Jaune, what are you going to say? She's set all of this in motion, there's nothing we can claim to go against this." The champion implored, and Jaune's eyes met hers. It was the first time Pyrrha had ever seen anything close to hatred in those beautiful blue eyes.

"She killed Penny, used her to kill Ciel, and now the entire kingdom of Vale is giving off enough fear to attract Grimm for miles. If we're going to stop this, we have to rally

* * *

these people. And if we can't do that, at least we can get her name out for all to hear."

 _"A kingdom's attempt at a synthetic army, only to murder its handler and attack fellow students. She had seemed so innocent, crying out for help. Not such a harmless little girl though, was she? And she was blown up by the aliens that call themselves our friends, the so called 'Guardians' of Earth. If that's how they protect people, then we have more to worry about than ever before."_ She was using 'we' now instead of 'you', siding with the population instead of accusing them of letting it happen. A subtle change, but it drove the point in the right direction. Create distrust for Atlas, Vale, and the Guardians all in one swoop. Thankfully, the speakers that spread Cinder's silken words across all of Vale suddenly screeched and groaned with the telltale sign of feedback.

 _"That's enough out of you."_ Bastion's soft voice came out across all channels, her tone that of a scolding, disappointed mother. _"You seek to spread fear and incite the Grimm. No more. Guardian Arc, you are online."_ With that announcement, Jaune's breath stuck in his throat as he realized that everyone watching the tournament, every single person that had been listening to Cinder's lies – were now listening to him.

"Uh..." Jaune winced as he heard his voice go out over the speakers. Did he have to sound like such a dork? He felt a hand on his shoulder, and turned to see Ren with a confident smile on his face.

"You can do this, Jaune. Say what you need to say." The quiet member of JNPR said, and Jaune felt silly for ever thinking he couldn't do it. His team was behind him, and the Guardians were there to make things better. What kind of leader would he be if he clammed up on the mike?

"Everyone, my name is Jaune Arc. Until recently, I was a first year student at Beacon." His voice still cracked at times, but Jaune's confidence could still be heard all around them. Even as he broadcasted, the team began moving out of the arena, towards the massive halls that lead to the docks. "That woman's name is Cinder Fall. I don't know her, but I do know that she is not our ally. She's done everything she can to make us scared, to turn us against each other. Because fear and mistrust bring the Grimm. Look around you." As he instructed the listening public, he followed his own advice. Ren and Nora, from a small village outside of Mistral. Pyrrha, from Mistral itself. And their Ghosts, from so much farther away. They had all come from different places, and here they stood together. If JNPR could stand united, then so too could the kingdoms.

"The people around you, from Atlas, Vacuo, Vale, or Mistral – they haven't changed since this morning. They're the same friends and allies they have always been. Don't let Cinder tear you apart for no reason. Penny was a kind, innocent girl. She didn't act like a soldier, or even like a robot. She just wanted to be like us – another kid growing up and having friends. Just because her body was metal, she was still a gentle soul. And Cinder used that body against her." Jaune fought the tears that stung his eyes, not wanting to think about the poor girl that had literally blown up in his face.

"General Ironwood brought his fleet here to protect us, and right now his men are doing everything they can to stop the Grimm. And the Guardians will be right beside him. The Grimm are the enemy, not our neighbors! And Cinder..." A growl entered his voice, and Jaune's eyes grew cold and flinty. Beside him, Pyrrha shifted her shield in her grip, not at all comfortable with the gaze her partner wore. "You did this. We know who you are. And we _will_ find you." With that, he nodded to Bastion, and the Ghost ended the transmission.

"I have control of the CCT, but it has been heavily corrupted by another virus. It seems that our friend has been busy while we were away." Bastion reported, shaking herself from side to side. "I can't purge the Tower and keep the connection up. I don't want to be responsible for cutting the down the entire system. At best, I can isloate the virus into some non-essential systems. Let Cinder have all the control over the Tower's coffee machines that she likes."

Jaune nodded at that, and the team finally made it out to the loading docks. It...there was no other way to put it. Chaos reigned over the people. Everywhere, panicked students and tournament watchers scrambled toward overloaded airships, with equally composed Atlas personnel trying to organize the horde. And here and there, amongst the screaming civilians, Jaune could see the black forms and white masks of Grimm.

"How did Grimm get up here?" Pyrrha demanded, rotating Milo into its rifle form and taking aim. "I know the Griffins and Nevermores can fly, but there's no way a Boarbatusk is getting up here without help." As if to answer her question, a Bullhead pulled up along the open side of the Colosseum, a decent distance away from the crowd. It turned, flaring ist thrusters to prevent impact, and when the craft brought its side door to bear, Jaune's heart sank. The slashed visage of the White Fang had been painted onto the side of the airship, and a pair of Beowulfs leapt out of the bay and onto the docks. Pyrrha's shot dropped both Grimm, and two White Fang operators emerged from the cockpit.

"Ren, Nora, we need that Bullhead." Jaune snarled, and the two nodded grimly. "Have your Ghosts do the flying, but we need a ride and a way to escort people to Beacon." Beside him, Pyrrha dove into action and threw her shield, sending it forward to knock a Creep aside before it could munch on a few helpless students. Jaune followed after her, collapsing Crocea Mors in favor of the Apple of Discord as the pulse rifle appeared in his hands. With them engaging the Grimm, Nora and Ren looked back at the Bullhead and shared a look. Nora collapsed Magnhild into its grenade launcher form and stored it on her back, and Ren let Storm Flower return to his wrists. Together, apparently unarmed as the two White Fang grunts prepared their own red blades.

Ren lead the charge ahead of Nora, his agility proving a boon as he leapt into the open air, Nora right behind him. The lackey on the right brought his sword back for a debilitating strike, but when he swung his blade, Ren's hands glowed from the strength of his Light. A metallic clank echoed in the tight space as he blocked the sword, redirecting it out the bay door and breaking the White Fang's grip with a palm strike to his wrist. The grunt snarled and swung with his uninjured hand, but Ren caught that one by the wrist and drove a Guardian strength elbow into the man's ribs. Another strike to the stomach put the man on his knees, just in time for his colleague to be slammed into the opposite door by Nora's kick.

With both White Fang down, Nora grinned and offered a cheesy thumbs up, and Ren rolled his eyes with a small smile. Nora then held up her hand, and Mjolnir appeared in the cabin.

"Mjolnir, this bird is ours now!" She exclaimed, causing Ren to wince at her volume. "Make it so!" The Ghost nodded and flew up to the cockpit, his gaze washing over the controls. After a few moments, he returned, and the Bullhead spun to face the Colosseum.

"The craft is ours, my Lady!" He crowed in his boastful tone. "Where shall we turn our guns?" Nora pointed outward, away from the Colosseum toward the sky that slowly became choked with Grimm.

"There be monsters afoot!" Nora cried, and the Bullhead's defenses deployed from the nose. A modest machine gun, not much smaller than Coco's minigun, appeared ready to dispense white hot justice. It didn't have the impact to down the larger Nevermores, but for prey like Beowulfs or Griffons, it was perfect. As the craft turned to face the slew of creatures clogging Vale's airspace, Ren slid into the pilot's seat. He wasn't arrogant enough to think that he could fly with no training, but at the very least he could direct the Ghost's actions from there. Orchid appeared beside him, and Nora remained by the bay door. He heard Magnhild leave Nora's back with a mechanical click, and realized that she probably wanted to keep the door open.

"Ready Nora?" He called back, tracking the numerous Grimm that darted through the sky. Most of them were Griffons; Grimm as large as the Bullhead that appeared as if a hawk and a horse had an angry, carnivorous love child. A few Nevermores drifted through the air as well, but he wouldn't waste ammo on them.

"READY!" She crowed from behind him, and he heard the hollow thump of one of her grenades firing, followed by a distant explosion and screeching. With a chuckle, Ren pushed the throttle forward, and Orchid sent the Bullhead darting out into the sky.

Jaune watched them go, and then reloaded his rifle with a shrug. Nora and Ren would loosen the assault on the Colosseum, so now the Grimm already on the docks were left to Pyrrha and himself. An Ursa came charging out of one of the halls, and Jaune whistled to get its attention. The large, burly creature roared its displeasure, and charged the young Guardian. Jaune sent a three round burst into its right forepaw, then its left. Most of the rounds hit home, and the Grimm slowed to keep its weakened limbs from giving out. Using that to his advantage, Jaune was able to put a burst into its gut before dancing out of the way, the Grimm's momentum and weight preventing it from catching him as it slid past. With its rear facing him, two more burst weakened its back legs as well. Sufficiently hamstringed, the Grimm collapsed onto its belly, chuffing in pain and anger as it struggled to face Jaune. The torn limbs pushed weakly against the floor, but Jaune was on it before the Grimm could do anything more. He held the Apple of Discord in a relaxed grip, but the barrel was pointed at the downed creature should it try anything. His foot pressed down on a ruined paw, and the Grimm whined in pain.

"These are our people." He muttered quietly, and the Ursa snarled in response. "Not your food." With that, Jaune lifted his leg, and brought his foot down with all the strength a Guardian possessed.

* * *

Horst jerked the controls roughly to the side, narrowly dodging around a massive Nevermore that attempted to drive its talons through the cockpit of his ship. Instead, the two large flyers sideswiped each other, both rocketing into opposite directions. The Nevermore was obviously headed for Vale, whereas Horst was trying to cut down every Grimm in the sky.

And there were a lot of Grimm up there.

Not able to turn around and engage a single creature in such a target rich environment, Horst still tapped a few commands and locked on to the bird with his missiles. A cough from above him, and a heatseeker streaked toward the bird in retaliation. Whether it made contact or not, however, wasn't something he could afford to watch. Plowing through Griffons was difficult enough without looking behind him.

"The CCT is compromised, _again_." Switch advised, keeping out of Horst's sight to let him focus on flying. "Jaune's Ghost was able to limit the mastermind's control, but it seems that this Cinder has really fucked things up around here. She made everyone panic, and now the Grimm are going to overrun the kingdom." The Ghost clung as tightly as a free floating contruct could to Horst's seat, even as he performed an aileron roll to avoid several Griffons that attempted to latch onto the _Iron Symphony._ The thick armor didn't provide any traction, and the G-forces sent the Grimm flying.

"I feel like I should be saying, 'do a barrel roll', but we both know that's not what that was." Horst shook his head at the Ghost's words, and angled toward the southern edge of the city. Closer to Beacon, Ironwood's airships were attempting to clear the air – with limited success. Unlike Horst's jumpship, Atlas' prized air force wasn't quite as armored or agile, and the difference was beginning to show by how many were no longer in the air. To make matters worse, several Bullhead gunships had taken to the sky as well, and were shooting down the Atlesian defenders. It seemed that the White Fang were nothing if not opportunists.

And the final kicker: Horst was low on ammo. After the fight in orbit, he'd never had the chance to restock the _Iron Symphony'_ s armaments. The nature of a blockade runner, at least in his mind, was to judiciously apply ordnance and then jet through. He had plenty of weapon systems, but the ammo reserves were modest at best. And now, he was flying what accounted for a giant ram through the sky.

"Switch, see if you can find a downed airship around here." Horst ordered as he pulled the ship upward, out of range of both airships and Grimm wings. "Hopefully, they'll be compatible enough to synthesize some rockets at least."

A green grid appeared on the HUD, with several red markers dancing lazily across it as Switch searched for more munitions. Horst kept his gaze focused on the sky, the grid blurry and out of focus as he jerked the jumpship back down towards Vale. Sure enough, a red triangle appeared next to a destroyed corner of the city, near the same courtyard that had been destroyed during the Breach. The burning white husk of an Atlesian flier stuck out of a bookshop, one that he had seen Blake frequent in their off time. Unless the owner was a mircale owner, she wasn't going to be visiting it again any time soon. It did, however, serve his needs well enough.

The _Iron Symphony_ hovered over the downed airship, and Horst's vision was filled with Light before he was deposited at street level. His pistol came to hand and he scanned the area for Grimm, but the street was desolate. All around, fires raged and sirens blared, but the only signs of life were a few bloodstains and open doors. Whatever had happened here, there was little he could do to change it.

"These Dust munitions are still intact. As long as we stay in atmosphere, we shouldn't have any problems." Switch explained, and began transmatting the gunship's rockets and rounds onto Horst's ship. As he worked, the Guardian surveyed the destruction around them. In the distance, dust clouds and many more shapes could be seen approaching the city. Grimm were still coming in, in spite of the numerous creatures already within Vale's walls. The misery, pain, and terror that pervaded the city stood as the ultimate dinner bell for every single soulless creature for miles.

Cinder had done all of this.

Of all the threats across the galaxy that he had faced, from Fallen invasions to Hive infestations, none had quite stirred the anger within him as he felt right now. The Hive, the Cabal, the Vex...they were all easily demonized. He could trust them to do whatever was in their best interest – usually pursuing the destruction of mankind. But this? A human woman with some kind of grudge against the powers that be was responsible for this atrocity. One of the people he was trying to protect from the Darkness had invited it into the city, into Beacon. And for what? Social revolution, some kind of power play, perhaps? Someone upset with the status quo had just reduced Vale's population for shits and/or giggles, and that was entirely unacceptable. Cinder would not leave Vale alive, if Horst had his way.

"All done, or at least as much as I can convert. Everything else will take too long." Switch reported, snapping the Titan out of his hateful stewing. He nodded and turned back towards the _Iron Symphony_.

"Good, let's get back on board before-" The ground rocked beneath Horst, causing him to grunt in effort as he struggled to remain standing. All around him, a seismic pulse seemed to rock throughout the city, sending many damaged buildings crashing to the ground. A low rumble filled his ears, and the vibrations from the ground traveled up his legs and into his chest.

"Intense seismic activity, near the edge of the city!" Switch reported, his shell expanding slightly as he scanned the area. "I'm picking up a lot of chatter about something coming...this...way..." The silhouette on the horizon caused Switch to trail off, and Horst turned to face it as well. The fading light and smokey atmosphere made it difficult to see, but it looked almost like...

 _No. Impossible..._

It was massive. Black in color save the bone spines and mask inherent with all Grimm, a giant dragon came flying in from the south. Its wingspan had to be several hundred feet, and its thick legs were tipped with ivory claws. There were no fore legs, meaning it likely walked on its wings. The creature's head bore the same mask that all Grimm wore, streaked with orange lines that came away from its four glowing eyes. The mouth was jagged and deep, the jaws extending backward almost into its throat. Three long ribs hugged its belly on each side, providing armor against any attacks that Horst was certain was tough as plating. Orange eyes glowed fiercely, searching for prey on this smokey, terrible night. This was an apex predator, an alpha among sheep. Even as it flew, more Grimm followed its call. Hell, Horst could even see Grimm falling off of the creature, as if they were spawning from its very flesh!

Even as he watched on in horror, the Grimm Drake rumbled overhead, screeching its rage to all that would hear it. As it flew over, the body completely eclipsed the _Iron Symphony_ , and was roughly three times the size of the blockade runner. The Drake was probably the same size as Spirit's ship. And it was headed right for Beacon.

"Switch, get on the channel!" Horst barked, and the two disappeared in a column of Light. When they reappeared in the cockpit of his ship, Horst pulled a hard bank and sent them hurtling after the immense creature. "Tell the others that they have bad news heading their way. I think we just found a target for all this ammo."

As he gave chase to the giant dragon, Vale burned below.

* * *

Ozpin watched on as Vale burned in the distance. Never in all of his years had he ever expected to see Grimm flying past the window of his office. He had planned for it, prepared against it, and even had nightmares envisioning the very scene that now played out before him. But to actually see it in person? He wasn't ready.

Still, there was little he could do here. There were elements to set in motion, and defenses to oversee. Not to mention Amber... how had he failed so spectacularly? The Breach, Atlas, and now the Tournament; all had led up to the siege of Vale. James hadn't seen it coming, neither had Ozpin or Glynda. Qrow had not even been heard from, despite their attempts to contact him. As he sipped his mug, Beacon's headmaster could only feel like he had set up a game of chess – one where he had only a few pawns, and his opponent had multiple knights.

Grabbing his cane, Ozpin turned and marched to the elevator, twirling his precious weapon through the air in a futile effort to dispel the anger and frustration that surged and swelled beneath his calm demeanor. As he passed it, Ozpin left his mug on his desk, setting down the ceramic cup that had been his trademark among the students. He walked to the elevator calmly, clearly in no rush. Despite her machinations, this 'Cinder' that had broadcast her speech across all of Remnant had one clear goal: the death of the Fall Maiden. Now that he had time to examine the attack and its motives, he knew without doubt that Amber was the true target. The assassins that had attacked the Maiden earlier had slipped into his school unnoticed, and he was only aware of it now. It infuriated him beyond measure, to hear the screams of her plan succeeding. Students dying, civilians running in terror...all a part of _her_ plan.

When he stepped into the open doors, Ozpin turned and looked back at his office, a foreboding feeling of destiny surrounding him. This could very well be the last time he gazed upon the room, where he and Glynda and all of their friends had worked to build a brighter future for Vale. So many meetings, both serious and relaxed, had taken place here. They had directed Beacon successfully for so long, and created innumerable cherished memories. As he looked around one last time, Ozpin's gaze fell upon his mug, with the crossed axes of Vale proudly displayed upon it.

The game was up. The school had been laid to waste, with the kingdom close behind. Everything that he had built, all of his plans, would all go up in ashes. Beacon stood as a wall against the Darkness, training Huntsmen and Huntresses for as long as he could remember. And now, he would have to sacrifice it for the good of the world.

"I'm sorry, everyone." He muttered sadly. "I wish there was another choice." With that, he pressed the button, and the doors slid closed on his office. As the car hummed and began to descend downward into the vault, Ozpin could not be aware of the lithe figure approaching the elevators on the ground floor as well, her heels clicking against the tiles as they both made their way to destiny.


	28. Chapter 28

My sincerest apologies for the delay. This story needs to end, so that the next one can begin. This part of Volume 3 is necessary for any RWBY fic because of the earthshaking change it invites to the narrative. In this case, it's my chance to intertwine the threat on both Remnant and the Last City. So many questions left to answer: will team RWBY beat Adam? Where's Qrow been? Why has Zwei been neglected this entire time? (Actually, that last one was pure accident. I'll probably add him in later. He's a welcome breath of fresh air, but he's no story breaker.)

As always, this was only partly done for me. The readers are as much inspiration as they are motivation. I took a break from writing and did some reading, and I picked up a few things from other writers on this site. In doing so, I encourage anyone with writer's block to stop, set it to the side, and read through a few others' works. I read a **Professor Arc** , by _Coeur Al'Aran_ , and that was probably the best inspiration I had to get off my block and finish this damn thing. Highly recommended, by the way. That author has some serious talent.

* * *

 **Chapter 28**

* * *

Blake smashed through the reinforced glass and landed in a shower of fragments, attracting the attention of every White Fang in the room. They all hefted their weapons, each one shouting commands like, 'Don't move', or 'Stay where you are!'. There may have even been a 'Don't hurt me!', but she didn't react to any of them. Instead, the Faunus slowly stood up and removed Gambol Shroud from her back, her golden eyes narrowed into slits as she regarded the grunts.

She was clearly not impressed.

"You know, I was in the White Fang a short time ago," she drawled as she stepped casually toward the gathered terrorists. Too casual for someone with a bunch of weapons pointed at her. "I don't remember ever taking hostages before. Especially not children." Blake held her weapons pointed downward, ready to use yet not at the ready. She was prepared to defend herself, but nothing about her posture indicated that she planned on using them on the White Fang. Well, not these guys anyway. There was someone else in the White Fang that deserved her blades. Of course, the one closest to her misinterpreted her hesitation for violence as some kind of fear or caution.

"You can't seriously expect to beat all of us, girlie." He was a dog faunus, dark skinned and arrogant as he pointed his sword backward toward the captives. "Even if you got most of us, there's no way you could beat us all before the hostages got hurt." He sneered, and several students whimpered in fear. Not all first years had the kind of training and background that RWBY had, and many were still struggling to have competent aura levels. Blake rolled her eyes at the man's bravado, and she stepped forward to meet him. The White Fang member swung his crimson blade high, trying to take her head off in one swing. Blake slipped underneath the obvious attack and drove her elbow into his sternum. It pushed him back, wheezing in pain, and utterly unprepared for the heel that slammed into his jaw. The arrogant Faunus was unconscious before he hit the ground, and his comrades murmured at his defeat. Sparing the downed man one last glance, Blake refocused on the rest of them.

"Now, we can either go through the same thing fifteen times, or you guys can go get Adam. I don't care either way, but if he found out you fought Blake Belladonna without telling him, well..." She trailed off, but the meaningful smirk told the grunts nothing they didn't know already. Adam Taurus' near obsession with his former partner was legendary throughout the White Fang, though her appearance wasn't as widespread. Adam's rage was also famous, and not one of them wanted to face down their boss in the height of his anger. Realizing what she meant, a blonde goat Faunus, evident by his horns, turned toward one of his masked comrades in the rear.

"Go find the boss! We'll keep her away from the hostages." He barked. The scout looked between Blake and his friends with uncertainty, but one last look at her predatory yellow eyes gave him the motivation to turn and run. The Guardian watched him sprint, smirking as he nearly tripped on his way out the door.

"Don't forget to tell him that Blake said hi!" She called after him, and the rest of them tensed. She wasn't taking the situation seriously at all! They had hostages, several of them teachers. Well, ex-Huntsmen anyway. Did she think they were going down so easily? The goat Faunus looked down at the hostages and noticed...rose petals? All around where the hostages were gathered, several dozen red rose petals littered the floor. They even covered some of the prisoners, which...where there less of them now? No, it was just his imagination. Best to focus on the threat, then clean up later.

"Circle around her!" The White Fang cried. "Don't let her have an advantage!" Together, seven of his comrades surrounded Blake, each hefting their own weapons. Many carried the common katana or short sword, although a monkey Faunus of some kind decided to be special and brought out a pair of hatchets. The remaining seven stood by, their de facto leader among them, and pointed handguns at her from a distance. By any speculation, 1 vs 14 was not good odds for the former. Instead of panic, however, they found only boredom on Blake's face. She looked around, keeping her focus all around in case the two in her blind spot decided to try something. She held Gambol Shroud a little tighter, but beyond that there was no sign that she had even acknowledged her predicament.

"Hey Ruby," she called out. "Can you take out one or two on your next pass?" Blake took up a stance, even as the White Fang members looked around curiously. Had she gone mad? Who the hell was she talking to?

"You got it!" An exuberant cry came from behind the encircled White Fang, and they all turned in surprise to see a young girl standing next to the hostages, holding a GIANT FREAKING SCYTHE. A hard swallow was heard from the guy with the hatchets, and more than one grunt looked down at their weapon. Could they block a blow from a weapon like that? And how had she gotten past them so easily?

With most of the White Fang's attention turned to Ruby, Blake smirked and took the initiative. Sweeping up behind the grunt directly in front of her, a boot took out one of his legs and knocked him off balance. As he floundered, Blake drove the pommel of Gambol into his face, hastening his trip to the ground and knocking him out. The scuffle returned attention to her, and gave Ruby an opportunity to brace herself. Blake whispered between two other grunts as they charged her, jamming the blunt side of Shroud into one's neck while driving her elbow into the other's solar plexus. As the one around her arm slumped to the ground in pain, she reversed her body's momentum and drove a kick into the back of his head from above. She then turned and slashed, disarming her remaining stunned opponent with a shallow cut to the inside of his forearm. With no weapon, there was little he could do against her rush except cross his arms in front of him. It's didn't help the knee she drove into his stomach, or the fist that impacted with his brachial artery.

In no less than the span of eight seconds, three of their number had been taken down before they could offer a response. By one person. Suddenly, their numerical advantage didn't feel like such an advantage. And then Ruby took off.

Channeling as much strength as speed, Ruby's body when from stationary to Mach 1 in an instant, Crescent Rose trailing behind her as she whistled over Blake. When the two White Fang grunts that had been behind Blake were just starting to attack, they were halted immediately by the blunt head of her scythe. Ruby spun as she flew, offering more force than either of them could resist as she smashed their heads together. Though it took out her targets, Ruby did not stop as she flew past the now unconscious grunts, and she ran along one of the mess hall walls as she saved her momentum, taking the corner and coming back around as Blake disappeared from the floor completely. With the target they were about to fire at suddenly absent, the shooters could only look up in awe as a crimson bullet sped towards them. Instead of flying on at head height like last time, Ruby instead stopped short and spun Crescent Rose around her, using the staff of the scythe and the weight of its head along with her Guardian strength to trip five of the grunts. As they all fell to the ground, Blake dropped down from on high and drove her heels into one of the unaffected member's backs, the remaining goat Faunus crying out in surprise before firing at point blank range. Or at least, what he perceived to be point blank range. For Blake, three feet was more than enough room to maneuver around a barrage of bullets, and she sidestepped the burst and smacked his submachine gun upward into his face. Combined with the recoil, it was enough to crack his mask as the last of his rounds punched into the ceiling. The loudest sound on the battlefield filled the mess hall as he tried to put at least one bullet in her smug, aloof visage.

Before the last remaining grunt could get any more resourceful, Ruby delivered a well placed blow across the back of his head, making it fourteen for fourteen. Blake released the man's arms as he fell, and crossed her own as she looked around the hall. All of the White Fang that had been standing moments before were now on the ground, some groaning but most singing the sweet silence of unconsciousness. Mario, Luigi, and two more students were the only remaining hostages, mostly due to Mario's injuries and their restraints. Ruby had them off in a flash, flying to the cook's side even as Blake helped Luigi to his feet.

"Mario, are you alright?" The team leader asked quietly, and she winced when she received a wet cough in response. The cook's eyes were blacked and swollen, but he still managed to open them wide enough to see her. When he did, a bloody grin stretched across his face, though it did not spread far.

"Oh, hello little Rose. I'm afraid – cough! - I'm afraid we don't have any cookies right now. I'll make some as soon as..." The ex-Huntsman did not finish his sentence, and his head fell back to the floor as he winced in pain. The sight brought tears to Ruby's eyes, and Blake's teeth gnashed in frustration. He had been beaten badly, that much was clear. But even retired Huntsmen like Luigi and Mario were more than enough for a bunch of White Fang grunts.

"How did they get taken down? They're stronger than this." Blake voiced her frustration, and Ruby just shook her head sadly.

"We can't leave them here. Weiss is guiding everyone to the Tower. Help me move them." Even as she said so, both Guardians gently lifted Mario from the floor and stood him on shaky legs. The cook held his ground, if barely. Luigi stood much more easily, and was able to take his brother's weight and help him to the nearby door. The two students were all that remained of the rest of the hostages, and they followed along hurriedly. A few broken ribs, a smashed face, and a twisted ankle were the extent of Mario's injuries, but it wasn't until Luigi turned his back that Blake caught the long slash across his back, staining a white dress shirt red along the cut.

With so many swords lying around among the defeated White Fang, it could have come from any of them. But to defeat two seasoned Huntsmen, and beat them as savagely as they had been...

"Who could have done all this?" She heard Ruby whisper, even as the answer hung over her like a specter. Blake turned back to face her team leader, and her amber eyes widened as she focused on what stood behind the young reaper. The answer to Ruby's question was very close, even as Blake hefted Gambol Shroud in preparation to throw it. She knew she'd be too late, she knew how fast he was. They'd come to antagonize him, and were so caught up in escorting the hostages that no one had actually kept an eye out for Adam himself.

Until now, as the world slid to a crawl, she watched as his crimson blade slowly made a beeline toward Ruby's unsuspecting neck. At least, that was what she was focused on, pulse racing and mouth opening for a warning too late to matter. Just before the blade made contact, however, a different sneak attack played out just in time.

A cloud of dust billowed out from behind Ruby, causing the young girl to pitch forward and draw Crescent Rose as she turned to face the new threat. When she had rolled, Blake had seen Adam's sword dance over Ruby in a wide, uncontrolled arc, as if he had been thrown off balance in mid swing. And judging from the faint smell of burning wood and sulfur that pervaded the mess hall, she could guess why.

Player 4 had entered the game.

"You know, first you made Blake cry." A meaty crunch echoed from the billowing dust, followed by a pained grunt. "You stabbed me in the chest." Another two, and Adam slid outward from the dust cloud in a crouch as it slowly settled, bent forward and snarling as a trail of blood dripped from his lip. "And now you've tried to kill my sister while her back was turned." The obscuring brown cloud finally settled, revealing a very irritated Yang Xiao Long, cracking her knuckles for good measure as her crimson gaze fell upon the White Fang leader.

"You and me, bucko, we're not going to be getting along." She took up her stance, bouncing a little on the balls of her feet as she prepared for the next bout. Ruby backed up a few more paces, likely to give her enough room to build up speed, while Blake crept closer in case he tried anything. Having sparred and fought with him more than anyone else on the planet (or any planet, now that aliens were on the table), Blake felt that she was going to recognize anything he tried before the others would. Instead of counter attacking, however, Adam simply stood and growled in frustration.

"How are you still alive? I _ended_ you that day." He was convinced, demanding answers when he thought he already had them. Yang tilted her head, but kept her chin tucked as she watched him like a hawk. Or a dragon, as the case may be.

"Wow, you really don't keep up with the news, do you? Me and Blake were in a big ol' press conference, looking good in front of all of Remnant. How'd you miss that, big bad bull?" Her remark did little to get a rise out of him, but the analytical part of his brain did question what had distracted him so much as to overlook an announcement like that. He'd heard that the Guardians were aliens from another planet, but somehow he'd missed the press release itself. While the summary had covered the crucial parts, the fact that he had missed the raw data himself was so out of the ordinary. What HAD he been doing to miss such crucial information?

 _A White Fang grunt peeked into the training dojo, meekly trying to get a word in edgewise as Adam tore the training dummies apart with his bare hands._

 _"Uh, sir? You might wanna-"_

 _"Goddamn Torchwick! I'll have his head on a platter for this! All of them, dead or missing because he couldn't stick to the fucking plan?! That stupid mother-"_

 _CRASH! RIP!_

 _"Yeah, I'm just gonna leave you to that..."_

For the life of him, he couldn't recall what had obscured his vision, but it didn't matter now. He'd beaten Blake and the blonde one before, and one more baby Huntress wasn't going to change the outcome. With that in mind, Adam sank into a half crouch and readied his blade, Wilt chambered to flash out at the first chance to counter attack.

"I don't know how you survived that wound, but I won't make the same mistake twice. I'll take all your heads for interfering in my plans." The White Fang leader's claim was as arrogant as he sounded, and Blake's eyes narrowed dangerously as she circled into his field of vision.

"It won't matter if you do, Adam. One way or another, we're taking you down. For the White Fang, for Beacon, and for my mom and dad. You've taken enough from us." She stamped her foot forward, a feint to get him to react, and of all the things to do he fell for it like a bull before a matador. Adam drew Wilt and slashed forward in a single motion, not expecting Blake to jump backwards and avoid the strike. She was an agile opponent, to be sure, but he'd taught her to attack while moving, not surrender ground simply for the sake of dodging. Some lessons, it seemed, were not meant to be learned.

Adam followed aggressively, his veiled gaze locked on Blake as he carved the air around her. Wilt's crimson blade locked with Shroud, Gambol held out behind her as they fought single-handed against each other's strength. For as long as he'd known her, Blake had been physically weaker than he when it came to these trials of muscle. But even as his heavier blade rested against the edge of her sheath/sword, Blake was matching him one handed. That fact did not sit well with him.

 _So what if she's gotten stronger? Skill outweighs strength any day._ He reminded himself, and swept their weapons to the side before retaliating with lightning quick slashes. Blake dodged and blocked with both blades, remaining far more stationary than he remembered her being. Had she taken up a new style? Why was she acting so differently in this bout?

Before he could press the attack, the blonde that had so frustratingly survived a sword through her chest tried to use Blake as a distraction and came in from his weak side. Blake's scissored blades kept Wilt from moving without costing him in blood. As such, he was required to block and retaliate with Bloom. The sheathe/shotgun hybrid did little the alleviate the force that he received from Yang's punch, knocking him off balance and costing precious effort as Blake won free as well. With two foes engaging now, Adam was forced to change his stance and step between them, unsettling from his static defense to something a bit more fluid. He struggled to keep his eyes on both Blake and the blonde, but they were making it difficult. The brawler stayed more towards his blind side, out of cowardice or strategy he didn't care. She was a clear threat, to be sure, but he would rather she be behind him than his former protege. Blake was a far more dangerous fighter if allowed behind you, and he could afford no mistake.

He diverted a strike from behind with Bloom as the brawler extended into his back, kicking back into her stomach and sending her rolling away only to reverse his momentum in time to block an overhead strike from Blake. With their blades locked above them, Blake tried to use Gambol to gut him with his defense up high. Instead of committing both arms to the fight with Blake, Adam slipped beside the thrust and drove a knee into her chest in return. As she stumbled back, his blade hissed through the air and slashed through her throat. Blake's eyes widened in fear and pain – before her body disappeared completely. Another clone.

She appeared instead to his left, swinging upward to break his guard and follow up. Adam used both Wilt and Bloom in defense, trading blows with both sword and sheath as she did the same. Again, he felt the strength in her blows that had always been absent in their previous bouts. What had changed? Were the Guardians all stronger than their regular counterparts? Adam snarled and made the overpower his former partner, only to flinch in pain as a shot rang out. Just as the sound reached his ears, his right calf burned in agony and caused his leg to buckle. He looked up to his right, and ducked just in time to avoid a shot from the little red Huntress on the edge of the fight. So that was their plan? Have Blake and her new partner engage him while the sniper kept him off balance? An effective strategy, to be sure, but now it gave him a target. He could hold off the two melee combatants, and the red one was vulnerable.

"Gotcha." He sneered, and rolled underneath a beheading slash from Blake. Using a kick to both knock her back and right himself, Adam carved a line down Yang's side, bringing a howl of pain with it, and made a sprint towards Ruby. The reaper looked up from her scope when she recognized his move, but she did not try to retreat. Was it fear that paralyzed her, sudden indecisiveness perhaps? He didn't care, for it did not matter. She would be the first to die.

Adam brought his blade forward and slashed downward at an angle, cutting across the girl's front from shoulder to hip. Despite her injuries, he remained focused on her eyes. Cold, disinterested, as if the pain did not faze her. _What?_ He'd cut her, felt the blade sink into flesh and bone. And yet, even as he watched, the bloody and dying girl vanished in a familiar smear of shadow, and he was almost unprepared for the crosscut that threatened to carve up his back. Adam ducked underneath Gambol Shroud and brought Wilt down as if to cleave Blake in two. He twisted at the last second, turning a downward slash into a diagonal one, and it was enough to wrench Shroud from her grip with a pained gasp. She brought up Gambol to stop Wilt from beheading her right then and there, but the thinner blade wavered in her grip.

"So, you've picked up a few tricks have you?" He spit into her cold, determined eyes. She didn't flinch. "You think it will save you?" Blake did little to reply save for the baring of her teeth, and the two separated once more. Or rather, she did. As she jumped back, Adam pressed forward. Without her thicker, heavier blade, Blake's twin sword fighting style became a single sword dodging style. As elusive as the animal her Faunus heritage resembled, the girl dodged and slipped past his lightning quick strikes with agility that would have impressed him months ago. Now, all it did was feed his fury.

"We're Guardians now, ass-face! We're meant for something a lot more deadly than some misguided terrorist." The blonde brawler called from the sidelines, scooping up Blake's discarded sword as she moved in to engage. Adam continued to push Blake's flagging defenses, the loss of her sword countering her new strength. Gambol's thin edge did little to deter Wilt, and even less when he managed to trap it underneath Bloom. With her only remaining defense pinned, Blake could do nothing as the hilt of Wilt slammed into her face, and the loud crunch sounded so very satisfying. She was stunned now, distracted. He could feel his adrenaline pumping as time slowed to a crawl. Her blonde teammate was directly behind him, he could feel the heat of her aura closing in even though his gaze was fixed on Blake. She was defenseless, recoiling beneath him as he brought Wilt to bear, its point heading straight for her unguarded stomach.

This was it. Even with the blonde hot on his heels, she wasn't going to be able to stop him. He watched with righteous glee as his sword pierced her aura, then her undersuit, and finally the flesh itself as her eyes widened in pain. Her grip on Gambol slackened as a sickening squelch filled the room, Adam's grin as bloody as his blade. Blood rushed from her mouth as Wilt sprouted from her back, and any words she might have had were lost in the rush of bile and blood as she vomited all over the floor. Her hands shook as they came up to grasp his blade, and a pained whine escaped her bloody lips as she wrapped them around his forearm. Adam's grin lessened as he recognized the formidable strength in her grip, but he knew that she was finished. His blade remained lodged in her gut, and every shift in its position brought a grimace of agony onto her face. He had done it. He'd finally gotten her.

"Do you see Blake?" He snarled, so close that the stench of her blood filled his nostrils. "This is just a fraction of the pain you gave us when you betrayed us. When you betrayed me!" He twisted Wilt, and a gurgling scream escaped her as Blake's legs gave out. But her grip only grew tighter. He pulled, trying to free his blade, but her grip wouldn't let him. She'd trapped his sword.

Adam brought up Blush to blast her off of Wilt, but the reminder of her two teammates came in the form of a gauntlet covered fist that knocked him for a loop. Stars floated in front of his vision, and his jaw tried to run off and leave him as he staggered. The pain was considerable, but it was the surprise that caused him to turn. When he did, another Remnant shaking blow sank into his gut, and he could suddenly taste everything he'd had for lunch that day.

It wasn't so great the second time.

"Hands off, asshole! You're the traitor around here!" Yang hissed, and kicked his leg out from underneath him. If there wasn't a mortally wounded Blake on the other end of his arm, he would have smoothly rolled away out of the blonde's reach and recovered. But there was, so he didn't. Instead, Adam hit the ground with a thud and rolled inward, trying to use Blake as a shield even as she hit the ground as well. More blood smeared the floor as her pale face grew even more pallid, blood dripping down her chin and across her front as she coughed weakly. She wasn't long for this world, even if they managed to get her to a medic. But why weren't her teammates worried about her? He'd seen their team dynamic before: take one down permanently, and the others crumbled. Instead, he winced as a brown boot cracked his mask and pushed him to his back.

The blonde should have been rushing to Blake's aid, crying over the bitter wound. She should have been agonizing over how to get Blake to survive the same grievous wound she herself had taken not long ago. Instead, she was dropping her knees onto his arms and pinning him into a mount before she began raining down punches. The world became a myriad of reds, whites, blacks, and yellows as the brawler wore him out, thundering into his face again and again even as her partner bled out beside them.

 _I don't understand._ He thought, even as a particularly vicious punch made his eyes cross. _I killed her. There was no way she survived! And now she's beating me!_ And where was the other one? He had no way of knowing, and no way of retaliating, so long as his arms were trapped. To escape, he'd have to let Blake have his sword. _No matter, she's dead anyway._

Adam relinquished his hold on Wilt and bucked his hips, pushed Yang's weight forward onto him even as she hit him again. He felt her knee roll on his shoulder, but was unable to capitalize because his face was now on fire. And not in the 'that really hurt' kind of way. Flames licked at his skin as his mask smoked and cracked, a pained scream escaping him as each following punch laid more unholy fire upon him. Through the inferno, the falling fists, he could see the crimson eyes burning into his own, and the fire that wreathed her form. Her chest, her head, her arms were all wrapped in dancing flame, and each follow up strike added to his pain.

He would not be beaten by this pathetic human. He had already defeated her once, and he would do so again. Roaring in pain and fury, Adam bucked again and rolled an arm out from underneath her, driving his own punch into her gut and rising with it. His aura bled as she retaliated, driving her fists into his face with greater fury even as he used the momentum to throw himself to the side. He finally escaped, barely rolling out of the way of an uppercut that would have put him on his back all over again. As Adam regained his feet, his mask shattered and fell to the ground. His face revealed, Adam glared daggers into Yang as she stood up as well, his uncovered eyes burning just as crimson as her own. He needed his sword, but Blake still had it. She had likely expired by now, and his eyes roamed the floor for where she-

His heart skipped a beat when all that remained of Blake was a bloody stain on the ground, no body in sight. She had gotten up?! How? With only Blush at his disposal, Adam was forced to go on the defensive as the blonde pushed her advance. Where was Blake? Where was the other one? _What is going on here?!_

Ducking under a nasty haymaker, Adam jumped backward and away from the brawler, granting himself valuable distance that she didn't seem interested in closing. Why, he didn't know, but for the first time in a long time he was grateful an opponent didn't push. He watched her, meeting her gaze with his own, as she slowly let the flames that covered her die down. Was this her Semblance, this control over fire? She would have been a poor match for Cinder, long may she suffer for this. The two of them stared each other down, before he hazarded a glance around without getting rushed. Crumbled architecture, ruined furniture, and unconscious White Fang, but no Blake and no little red reaper.

"You know, Blake's gonna be pissed you stabbed her, right?" The blonde taunted, earning another snarl from Adam as he focused back on her. What was she on about? Did Blake have access to the same miraculous recovery that the blonde one had used? If so, he'd already proven more than enough against his traitor of a partner. He could beat them.

"She's dead or dying, human. A fate you will share." The blonde shrugged at his statement, dropping her guard to put her hands on her hips. At this distance, he didn't quite have the strength to surprise her with an attack. That, and his aura was in tatters as it was. He couldn't afford to take any more hits.

"Yeah, that's the thing about us. You can kill a Guardian, but they'll always be Yanging in there." She smirked at her own pun, poor as it was. "Am I right, Blake?"

Adam wanted to say she was an idiot. He wanted to taunt her for clearly losing her mind in the face of a superior opponent. He wanted to laugh in her face as she came to the crushing realization that she and all of her friends were going to die.

As a bright cascade of Light appeared in front of him and Blake stepped out of it, Wilt in hand, he realized he wasn't going to get what he wanted. Especially when she seemed no worse for wear, and glared at him with dangerous narrowed eyes. He was Adam Taurus, however. And he was not beaten yet.

"So you can survive mortal wounds? Is that supposed to scare me?" Adam raged, spittle flying from his lips as he bared his teeth. "You used to stand for something, Blake. We all did! But you weren't willing to do what was right to save our people!" If his words had any effect on the Faunus Guardian, she didn't show it. Yang stood ahead of her and off to the side, ready to intercept Adam should he try to charge his former partner. He did no such thing, but he showed no sign of stopping his verbal abuse.

"Ghira and Kali were just like you. Always pleading for the peaceful option. No matter how many times the humans beat us and spit in our faces. 'Peace is the way to true victory'." Adam punctuated the air quotes with a globule of spit, though it didn't reach Blake. "And now you expect me to run like a coward?"

Blake finally let out a slow, even breath as she closed her eyes for a moment, the mention of her parents almost enough to prompt a response. But she had been ready for this ever since she had learned the true nature of Ghira and Kali's deaths, and she had long ago given up Adam's ability to sway her with words. Instead, she looked down at Wilt, the sword used to slay her partner as well as countless innocent people. It would serve no purpose for the White Fang anymore. Now, it would be the downfall of Adam Taurus.

A long, long time ago, she had felt pity for her old partner. He had not always been the vicious, bloodthirsty man that stood before her. She remembered a young man that helped Faunus in need, one who would work well into the night to make sure hungry children did not go wanting for another night. She remembered a man that would shield her from the hateful glares and thrown bricks of arrogant and ignorant humans. But slowly, he became just as hateful as they had been. Upset when a demonstration ended peacefully, complaining that the results 'weren't enough'. All too eager to write off human losses as necessary when things became more militant. And later, when he ordered the attack on Roberta's shop...the truth had hurt, but deep inside of her that wriggling doubt had fed upon her anger and pain and grew a thousand fold. She'd always harbored a tiny amount of distrust, that he couldn't be as nice as he was. That he wasn't perfect, and they had no fairy tale ending. Normally, being right felt good, and validated her caution. As she held his blade in her hand, where it had stuck out of her stomach just moments earlier, all she tasted was ash.

"You will, Adam. You will run as far as you can." She said sadly, with a shake of her head. Before he could reply, she tossed Wilt out toward him, the crimson blade flying past Yang as the blonde stepped to the side. It was an offhanded throw, and Adam had to move to catch his weapon with his arm outstretched. He reached out, eyes bright with fury as he already planned the return slash when the battle was rejoined. So focused was he on the flying sword, he never saw the red swirl of roses, and didn't sense the danger until his arm danced free from his shoulder.

As the leader of Team RWBY landed behind him, her scythe collapsing into its rifle form once more, Adam clutched the bleeding stump of his arm and howled in pain as he sank to one knee. Blood spurted between his fingers as Blush fell to his side, ruined jacket and flesh more pressing than an empty scabbard. Blake walked calmly up to him, Wilt clattering across the floor as she kicked it and his severed limb away for good measure. His wound was dangerous and more threatening than her team, but Adam was not known for peaceful solutions under duress. He watched his naked blade dance out of his reach, and looked up at Blake with barely restrained fury.

"How?" He snarled. "How can you side with them after everything they've done, Blake? How could you betray your own people?" He made to say more, but a wave of pain silenced him as he pressed harder on the wound. Enough of his aura was present to begin healing, but high fives weren't going to be in his future for a while. And if he didn't staunch the bleeding soon, the Grimm would finish whatever Blake did not. Cinder had not been clear on how her 'associates' would be protected from the creatures, and Adam didn't trust her.

"You're so stuck on everything that _they_ have done that you never considered the consequences of your own actions." It was a whisper, like many they had shared long ago. But unlike back then, there was no humor or admiration in her voice. Instead, her words were laced with faded anger and pity. Regret. How DARE she pity him, after all she had done?! "When did murder become okay for you? My parents, Leonberger's other supporters, other Faunus...you didn't do it for them. You just wanted people to be afraid of you. To be afraid of the White Fang. That's not what we stood for." Blake knelt down in front of him, keeping an arm's length between herself and the fallen White Fang leader.

"When did people like mom and dad become acceptable losses, Adam? When did they become 'martyrs for the cause' to you? Dad was so proud of your conviction, how dedicated you were to equality. How long ago did you abandon that cause in favor of slaughter?" She shook her head and turned away, though the blonde and the young one kept their eyes trained on him. "You betrayed everything the White Fang stood for, Adam. You let them make us into monsters." She walked over to the window and looked out, towards Vale itself. She wouldn't look at him, even as he cursed in pain and stood, wobbling unsteadily as the action made his head swim. His aura was severely drained, and the bleeding from his arm still had not stopped. If he didn't find a friendly medic, this would be the end of him. And that was if they let him leave.

The blonde he had killed before – and wasn't that an infuriating identifier to give someone who had used his face as a speed bag – stiffened as he backed away. The reaper behind him did so as well, though she did nothing to stand between him and the door the hostages had escaped out of earlier. They watched him studiously, ready to block or attack if he tried rushing Blake's back. Outnumbered, overpowered, and unarmed in more than one meaning, Adam didn't think an attack would be even remotely successful at this point, but the pain of his wounds was dwarfed by the rage that burned within him, consuming his reason and logic.

"This isn't over, Blake." He hissed, loudly enough that he knew she could hear him. Her bow twitched in response. "We'll never stop. You can side with the humans all you want, but in the end the Faunus will be free. No matter how many I have to bury."

"They're already free, Adam. Second class citizens, and still resented for the war, but the oppression that you're talking about ended before you killed my parents. Now, you want supremacy, and you're willing to kill anyone in your way to get it. You are a murderer, not a freedom fighter." She took a deep, settling breath, and turned her head so that a single amber eye was visible. "Out of respect for what we had, what we were... leave. Consider this the funeral for the man I once admired. Now..." She turned back toward the window and returned Gambol Shroud to her back. "...run."

A distant roar echoed in the distance, lending context to what had her attention at the window. Some large Grimm, likely doing battle with the Atlesian soldiers or other Guardians. But she had just dismissed him, as if he were nothing?! This laughable three on one had been enough to take his arm, but in a single duel he would have destroyed her. Sure, she had allies, and strange new powers from the invaders, but in the end Blake Belladonna was still a coward.

And she was telling _him_ to run?

He gritted his teeth even as a foot slid forward, his fingers twitching in frustration. The blonde stepped between Adam and his former partner, her gauntlets locked and loaded as she prepared to pound him into atoms again. He flinched away from her, but Blush was too far away to be of use.

"Go." The brawler ordered, her crimson eyes never leaving his. "If it were up to me, I'd break your back and make you my personal punching bag. Blake's the only reason you can feel your toes right now. I'd take her advice if I were you." Her stance widened slightly, and he could feel the heat coming off of her from where he stood. Her Semblance put the fire coating her body to good use, and somehow used it to protect her from harm. She had budged on his hit, but not nearly as much as he had expected. And his knuckles bore the burns of trying. On top of their support leader and that blasted scythe...retreat was the only option.

 _This isn't over_. Adam thought with a grim frown, and said as much. The blonde returned a bloodthirsty grin and cracked her neck in reply, even as the reaper behind him stepped closer to the wall so that he could pass. His eyes flicked over to Blush, lying forgotten on the floor. The blonde one followed his gaze and stepped between him and his remaining weapon. More of a loss, and enough to rile him up once more, but he knew losing a weapon was better than his life. Once, Blake would have done anything to stop his death, even if it meant her own. As he staggered out of the destroyed mess hall, fingers dripping blood as he covered his new amputation, Adam judged that things were definitely different. But this still wasn't over.

Outside, a dark shape tore through the Atlesian fleet like a shark through a school of fish, high pitched shrieks filling the air as the Drake made itself known.

* * *

Roman stepped gingerly over the bodies of the Atlesian bridge crew, not wanting to disturb the cooling corpses from their eternal slumber. That was a good way to get blood on his shoes, and these were more expensive than the flagship! Well, not really, but they bore a closer comparison than the thief was willing to admit. Ahead of him, High Admiral Neopolitan, long may she reign, marched lazily ahead as she twirled her parasol of doom. Her illusions painted her in the pressed and fitted white uniform common among Atlas brass, but he knew she was wearing her normal clothing. She wouldn't physically change out of her stylish and comfortable duds unless it was required. It was a sentiment he shared, even as he twirled Melodic Cudgel around his finger.

The bridge didn't have many personnel on it, kind of an oversight considering this was the flagship of the fleet. Perhaps General Ironwood oversaw more of the ships facilities than one might think? If so it was heroically responsible of him, taking on all the fault should there be a malfunction. It did however leave the unfortunate situation of a crippled staff when the good General was absent from his flying fortress. And these men had paid the price for their dedication.

"I could have told you guys what blind trust could do, but ironically you wouldn't believe me. So we'll call it even and do our own thing." Roman tutted airily to the bodies all around. Naturally, they didn't respond. But silence was its own reward, especially when people yelled things like, 'Stop!' and 'Don't move!'. Seriously, so demanding. He reached the control center and whistled at all the different controls and displays. In order for Cinder's plan to work, he'd have to expertly pilot the ship so that nothing seemed amiss until it was too late, as well as take control of all the mechanized forces. It would take familiarity and cunning with Atlas tech that few possessed.

Coincidentally, Roman lacked those qualities as well. But he did have a black scroll packing a computer virus that would do everything for him. Neo handed the device over to him, and Roman looked down at it for a moment. It didn't look any different from a normal scroll, save maybe for the obsidian finish on the sides. But within this scroll, a masterfully crafted computer virus sat in waiting, ready to corrupt the way Remnant viewed Atlas for years to come. He was holding destiny in his hands, and was ready to execute one of the biggest lies in human history.

For some reason, it didn't feel as heavy as it should have. Maybe it was the fact that he hadn't reached this point by his own merit. Perhaps it lost its value as an accomplishment because he was carrying it out not as Roman the mastermind thief, but rather Roman the pawn in Cinder's game. He held no illusions over his relationship with the woman. She was dangerous, skilled, and deceptive. If he had stepped out of line even in the slightest over the last six months, Cinder would have ended him and run his criminal enterprise on her own. The only reason she had abstained was because Roman could cook up an original plan if he had to, and having him around to manage the logistics left her free to pursue other endeavors.

In short, Roman and Neo were only alive because Cinder couldn't be bothered with the effort left behind in their passing. Normally such mitigation of his power and skill would frustrate Roman to no end, but he'd seen Cinder reduce her subordinates to literal cinders before, and that wasn't something he could combat on the fly. With a lot of prep time and resources, _maybe_ , but Cinder's unpredictable management and ambiguity made her difficult to predict. Neo was far better in combat than Roman, and even she shied away from the prospect of facing their mandatory employer. The two of them together might have stood a chance against Cinder alone, but Cinder and a lot of expendable White Fang meat puppets? They'd get bogged down in flunkies long enough for Cinder to burn them all away.

Roman wasn't doing all of this out of malice. He didn't exactly mourn those that fell in his way, but he took no pleasure in it either. It was a case of him or them; if they succeeded in stopping him, no prison on Remnant could keep Cinder from paying him a visit. He wasn't just fighting for his own survival either, as on several occasions Cinder had said, in no uncertain terms, that Neo's fate was tied to his success as well. It wasn't his fault, running this maze with fire nipping at his heels. He was doing a job that he couldn't afford to fail.

With that thought at the forefront of his mind, Roman set the scroll into its cradle, delivering the virus into every Atlesian Knight and Paladin in Vale. Up on the monitors, robots all over the city slumped momentarily before they returned to their normal posture. Instead of targeting the Grimm, however, they set their sights on the people. Screams and cries of pain filled the command center as Roman's handiwork further spread chaos throughout the kingdom. He watched for some spare moments, accepting the outcome of this forced employment he and Neo had undertaken, before turning away and walking over to the helm. Neo's mismatched eyes watching him as he moved, and years of training and living together showed her just how uncomfortable he was with this whole plan. Roman had always played things safe, never taking on a job where the risk outweighed the reward. It was how they had made it for so long; remember your exit, trust no one, and have a back up plan ready. Stings, ambushes, and snitches had tried and failed to corner Torchwick on anything other than unpaid court costs, and the times he'd spent in lock up were all brief. Here though... they were backed into a corner, and Cinder was calling the shots.

"Let's see what we can do about the overcrowding up here, eh?" Roman tried to joke, but Neo could see that his smile was strained. She did not return it, but rather moved to another console where she saw several screens near the flagship's cannon batteries. She wasn't certain of anything, but it was probably a good place to start as Roman clumsily turned the ship to face its peers. Two other Atlas airships appeared on the displays, smaller and less armed than the one they had control of. Neo pressed a few buttons, her brow furrowing as nothing seemed to happen, until cross-hairs appeared on her terminal and a control rod rose from the center of the console. Using it, she guided the cross-hair to the Atlesian ships, then thumbed the switch experimentally. Her efforts were rewarded when a loud rumble filled the room, and they watched four projectiles zip away toward the floating battleships. So focused were they on the Grimm around them, the first volley took them completely by surprise. Fire sprouted along the bow of the ship on the left, it and began listing hard as Neo pressed the button twice more. Two more volleys slammed into the ailing ship, ceasing its descent to the ground by annihilating it completely. The actual body of the ship itself was hidden in a cloud of smoke and fire, made doubly obscured by the huge upturn of dust upon impact.

Before the sister ship could do anything in the efforts of support or revenge, another volley from Neo crippled its engines. Light flashed past the bridge as the side batteries returned fire, but their cannons were too small and spread too thin to do much damage. Still, the sight of rounds zinging by the window really put a damper on things.

"Neo, can you shut those guys up? I'm trying to fly here." Roman complained, and she rolled her eyes in silent reply. A few more dull thuds later, and the second destroyer joined the first in bitter shambles in the Emerald Forest. They were too far away for Roman to tell if any life boats had been launched. Given how sudden and effective their attack had been, he doubted it.

"Alright, that should keep us alive for a little bit. Now, let's see if we can keep this tub-" Before he could finish his sentence, a different craft streaked by the bridge. It was fast, unnaturally so when all he'd seen in the air were airships and flying Grimm. It was yellow, almost gold, and it was moving quickly. The reason for such haste rumbled by at a slower but no less impressive pace, massive wings beating as it roared fury after the extraterrestrial ship.

"That is one big Grimm." Understatement of the year, most likely, but somehow Roman felt that if Neo could speak, she'd be just as silent as the two watched the behemoth fly after the Guardian's ship. As they observed, three missiles blasted off from the fore of the ship, losing speed until the Drake passed them and then detonating on its flanks. The entire creature's body shook and blood fell to the ground below, but other than an angry screech there was no sign of progress. The blockade runner whipped past Beacon and turned around to charge the giant Grimm, flying out of its reach even as it snapped in passing. It was enough to lure the dragon away from Beacon, but the corrected course could be easily predicted as Roman saw all four glowing eyes look in their direction.

The weapons on Ironwood's flagship were insufficient to take down either foe; the ship was too quick and the Grimm too tough. As such, the flagship was one gigantic flying target, with no prizes awarded for guessing how flying targets wound up. Roman snatched up his cane and looked toward the exit.

"Neo, time we blew this popsicle stand. Find us an airlock." She nodded and twirled her parasol, somehow making haste look graceful as she stepped out in front of him. Most of the crew onboard had been dealt with, but extra caution at this stage wouldn't hurt. It wouldn't do for some Atlas lackey to delay them and seal their doom. A few hallways and one particularly stubborn hatch later, and Roman stood on the exterior hull of the flagship. Neo stood lower, closer to the edge, but both of them winced as the wind whipped past them. He'd set the ship to a holding pattern as best as he could on short notice, but the gusting turbulence caused by the giant Grimm and its quarry was enough to make him second guess a peek over the edge. Not that he needed it.

"Watch out!" He yelled at Neo, who was squinting in the wind as they stood high over Vale. "Don't let them blow you off!" She clung to the side as much as possible, but the airlock left little in the way of handrails. It was designed for life boats and rescuing aircraft to have easy access for evacuation, but it appeared that Neo had already jettisoned them during her takeover. Still, every Huntsman and Huntress had a landing strategy, and Roman was more resourceful than some gave him credit for.

Neo's abilities were one example.

Another loud screech assaulted his ears as the Guardian jumpship barrel rolled over the battleship, the flare of his thrusters heating Roman's face for but a moment. The thief and his partner instinctively grasped each other as the dragon climbed over Ironwood's flagship in pursuit, gargantuan claws digging deep furrows in the armor driven by weight alone. The auto-pilot system struggled to right the airship as the dragon leaped off, flapping its wings in an angry yet futile attempt to chase down the Guardian ship. As the bow yawed downward, twisting in the air and struggling to stay upright, Neo was thrown around Roman to hang downward. He would have fallen with her too, if not for Melodic Cudgel looping around the handle near the airlock at the last minute. They swung over several hundred feet for a precarious few seconds, until the Atlesian battleship righted itself once more. When Neo landed, she gasped quietly as her boots hung out in the empty air. Roman quickly pulled her back onto the small platform, but his eyes were searching for either the jumpship or the dragon, whichever appeared first.

 _He's got a lot of air to play with, and he's clearly faster than the Grimm._ Roman thought frantically as he listened to the distant roars of the great beast in pursuit, still far too close for the thief's liking. _There's no reason not to lead it away from the school at all. A goody two shoes like him...unless..._ Before Roman could finish the thought, the stormy clouds party with a roar of burning thrusters, followed shortly by a bestial cry of the same nature as both ship and dragon charged toward Roman and Neo once more. Only this time, the guns on the jumpship stuttered a greeting and tore holes the size of Roman's hand in the armor around them. The burst was short due to the clip he was moving at, but a ship like that would have plenty more where that came from. Another second, and the yellow ship blasted over them. Roman could only cower as the immense Grimm followed angrily, and once again clawed its way over top of Ironwood's flagship as it pursued the Guardian. With armored plating falling all around him and a numbing sensation in his leg, Roman finally caught on.

The Guardian was using the dragon to tear his ship apart. The alien warrior had likely seen Roman use the flagship's weapons to down the other two airships, thus allowing the Grimm to overrun the city. The maneuverability of the jumpship far outweighed that of the airships AND the Grimm, and so it had been simple enough to lure the giant dragon of doom into demolishing Roman's newest toy. It was a sound plan, one that would have been far more admirable if the two most important people in the world weren't standing on said battleship.

Neo appeared to have made the same discovery, as she was scanning the skies with renewed vigor. It had been a long time since Roman had last seen such fear in the young woman's eyes. In fact, he hadn't seen it since the day they had met Cinder – the day they had been condemned to this crusade of hers. She had assured them that they would be immune to the Grimm, ignored in favor of more fearful prey. But as the Griffons continued to circle and snap at them, it was clear that Roman and Neo had been expendable from the start. It was a bittersweet realization, that he had been right all along but it hadn't saved them in the end. And he had dragged Neo down with him, too.

Roman chuckled humorlessly and took a long drag on his cigar, its lit end ragged from shrapnel that had blown past his face. The pull was inconsistent, the cigar burning unevenly, but the sweet rush that followed was more delicious than any tobacco product he'd ever had in his life. Even as his right leg buckled beneath him, the burning cigar served to calm his nerves.

 _This is check, I suppose. And you gotta sacrifice the queen to save the king._ It was the ancient rule of chess, and here it was no exception. He turned to look at Neo, his fingers playing along the arch of Melodic Cudgel. Surely, she'd understand. The colorful girl had been with him since the early days. She knew the score, what was at stake. She wouldn't blame him for this. At least, that's what he told himself.

"Neo, I think we can make it down if you float us." He suggested, and he wasn't surprised when her eyes widened. She didn't face him, doing so would weaken her hold on the handle she clung to, but it was clear by her incredulous face that she thought he was crazy. Now, of all times?

"Seriously, that parasol is a lot tougher than it seems. Don't give me that look." He admonished her lightly, ignoring the creeping numbness in his leg. He kept his weight forward, using the rest of his body to shield his wound from her sight. He hadn't seen it himself, but the absence of pain was more than enough to convince him that the wound was more than enough to be problematic. He was leaking badly, and no amount of aura was putting the blood back in. He just had to hide it from Neo long enough to carry out the plan. Afterwards, it didn't matter what she thought.

Neo didn't shake her head, but she was clearly uneasy about the whole idea. With her free hand, she thumbed the switch on her parasol, though she kept it between her body and the open air to prevent the wind from catching it too early. She shifted her feet, trying to get a comfortable base as she prepared for the attempt. One person drifting down to the surface was bad enough, but two on one umbrella was pushing the bounds of possibility. It was impossible to almost anyone else.

He was counting on it.

He edged to the side with her, keeping his weight forward. She glanced at him several times, making sure he was behind her, then out into the Grimm-infested airspace that surrounded them. Griffons and the occasional Nevermore filled the skies, their roars and shrieks only briefly eclipsed by the screams of their victims below. The circling Grimm were enough to hold her attention, and Roman made his play.

Neo jerked backward as Roman grabbed a fist full of her jacket, hauling her over to the edge. Her eyes, both pink, widened in confusion until she saw his butchered leg. The realization of his wound dulled her reaction, and Roman had shoved her off of the platform before she could do anything about it.

"She can't use me against you now!" He cried as she fell, his own eyes locked on hers as he stumbled to the edge. "You're free, Neo! Get out of here!" He watched the Grimm react to her presence, the speck of color in free fall passing between them. Roman's leg twinged as he braced himself, and Melodic Cudgel's cross-hair appeared at the end. He fired once, twice, three times as winged Grimm dove at his partner. Red balls of light impacted with two of them, narrowly missing the third but enough to chase them all away from their newfound quarry. He searched for more targets even as his vision swam, but no other creatures were close enough to Neo to matter. Her form faded from his sight, and another roar closer to his altitude drew his attention to clouds around him.

The Guardian ship dove out once more, a trio of missiles lagging behind to hit the dragon that followed. When said Grimm burst from a cloud bank all its own, the explosives detonated and sent it careening into the Atlesian battleship, causing it to list once more. The dragon clawed and scrabbled for purchase, armored plating torn away like cloth before its talons. The bulkhead that supported the platform he stood on buckled, and Roman felt the thrill of terror as he was tossed forward, toward the gaping maw of the Grimm dragon. His leg did little to halt his fall, and he relinquished his grip on Melodic Cudgel in favor of the edge of the platform. His cane fell out into the open air, its black form easily lost among the Grimm and the night. He looked down past his shoulder at the creature, and his blood ran cold when saw that three of the four orange eyes were trained solely on him. The fourth had been burned out, black streaks of blood running from an empty eye socket.

The creature had been injured and enraged, and here he was dangling over it like a mouse before a cat. He knew what was coming, even as the numbness in his shattered leg crept into the rest of his limbs. He had lost a lot of blood, and his aura was having a hard time keeping up. His grip was weakening.

 _I guess this is it._ He thought with a humorless smirk. He'd made all his moves the best way he knew how. But Cinder had won. If she had designed for him to go out this way or not, he couldn't say. The truth remained the same, though; Cinder Fall had brought this on him.

"I hope I give you heartburn, you ugly bastard." Roman muttered angrily, even as one hand fell to his side. He was exhausted, really. All these chumps running around, saving the world or damning it with every move they made. Honestly, he was content to sit by and watch. Roman Torchwick was tired of being a pawn. When his grip finally loosened, Roman fell toward the dragon with one last defiant sign: a middle finger held up like a pennant as he fell toward the gaping jaws. When they closed, the dragon leaped away from the airship, tearing the remainder of it apart with the colossal strength of the action.

Far, far below, mismatched eyes watched the dragon roar as it searched for the the Guardian ship, watering for the first time in a long time. To her horror, a black bowler hat slowly drifted down to the ground, and Neo turned away from the Grimm monstrosity. From _Cinder's_ monstrosity.

* * *

The rumbling from above did little to reassure Ozpin as his fingers danced across the keys. Judging from the vital signs displayed in front of him, he had no time to worry for the safety of the school and his students. There was too much at stake, and too little time to consider his friends. His students, his colleagues...they were on their own.

 _They weren't ready for this. None of them were._ He thought grimly. Too many responsibilities, too few people he could trust. James, Glynda, the other teachers... the Guardians. None of them had suspected this. Whomever was responsible for this had spent weeks, perhaps even months preparing. His paranoia for the relic's sake had made it impossible to obtain, at least for now, but the Maiden, the Festival, _his own damn school?_ They had been blindsided. The robberies in Vale, the attack on Amber, the Breach; it had not been a stretch to imagine them connected, but this? His gaze had been outward, searching for Salem and her machinations. But Qrow had gone silent weeks ago, and James' movements had cost him concentration. Above him, civilians and students alike were fighting for their lives, and it was all his fault.

 _No time to grieve, yet._ He reminded himself, resisting the despair that threatened to take his mind. _We can grieve after I get her out of here. SOMETHING must go right._ The controls continued to dance underneath his fingers. Amber's tortured visage, pained even in unconsciousness, disappeared as he began the emergency suspension process. It would endanger her already precarious medical situation, but the freeze would hold her until she reached Atlas. Ironwood be damned, he was the only Headmaster capable of protecting her. Who else could he choose, Lionheart? The man was startled by his own shadow, for gods' sake.

He could use a god or two right now, but deities these days tended to let mortals and not quite mortals make their own destiny. The casket in front of him began to hum as it prepared for transport, detaching itself from its cradle and activating its personal power supply. Disconnected from Beacon's grid, the pod sustain Amber for roughly seventy two hours, depending on her condition. It would be long enough for a Bullhead to transport her to Mantle, and they could go from there. Ozpin struggled to recall how many of the aircraft were in reserve, when the click of heels behind him dashed his thoughts like dust in the wind.

The Headmaster of Beacon turned, just in time to dodge an obsidian arrow meant for his chest. Ozpin rolled to the side, away from the casket, and extended his cane into its full form. When his eyes settled on his attacker, he gritted his teeth in frustration.

Cinder Fall strolled out of the darkness, her bow at her side as she set him with a smoldering look, her lips barely curled in an arrogant smirk. He stepped to block her view of Amber's pod, but her only reaction was to chuckle cruelly.

"My, my, Ozpin. This is where you kept her all this time? I'm sure that's been hard on the poor girl." Her smirk faded as her glowing eyes narrowed dangerously. "How many people died today because you couldn't save one little girl?" Ozpin did not rise to meet her accusation, but he did widen his stance a bit. Sensing retaliation from the most powerful member of Beacon's staff, Cinder dismissed her bow in a swirl of smoke, standing unarmed before him as her right eye gleamed with the Maiden's power.

"We let Amber roam to keep you off her trail. A mistake as has been demonstrated, but not one I shall repeat again." Ozpin returned coolly. "What do you stand to gain from this, girl? Do you think power like this will bring you happiness?"

"Hmm." Cinder waved her hand, and a curved black blade appeared for her to take. "My master instructed me to take you alive if possible, but I don't think you deserve to stand before her." Ozpin frowned at that, and her instincts screamed at her just in time for her to duck his sudden thrust. There had been no indication that he was moving; one second he had been standing thirty feet away, the next she was ducking underneath a strike in her face. A flurry of blows, too quick for her to accurately see, danced all within her guard as he drilled her with blunt strikes. The simple cane he wielded proved more than enough to send her reeling, clutching her sternum as the pain flared in her chest and abdomen. Her blade had been useless to stop it, but there was little chance of him finishing the fight with one strike. She glowered at the man as he stood, free hand behind him and cane pointed downward like a fencer.

"I'm sorry, but your master will be seeing me at some point. I hope you can understand." Ozpin said with a flourish, and Cinder felt the same anger she had sought to bring to him rising up within herself. She bared her teeth and cast her arm across her body, sending a wave of flame surging forward. Ozpin bent backward and ducked underneath it, sliding backwards as he dodged the follow up arrow that sought to catch him while he was down. The twang of the bow caused him to roll to the side and bring his cane up to parry. The attack never came.

Panic welled up inside him as Ozpin looked to his right, and he nearly sagged at the sight of Amber's pod. The wave of fire had pushed the machine upward, and the second arrow Cinder had fired had not been for him. He watched in quiet despair as blood leaked down the shaft, dripping slowly to pool on the floor below. One more failure, another innocent little girl dead because of him. These sins were starting to stack, and a raw wave of anger welled up within him. The Headmaster of Beacon had made more mistakes than any other living person, but he was tired. Tired of losing his people, and watching their trust in him be rewarded with misery and pain.

Before he could act on his rage, however, the orange glow of the Maiden's power burst from the casket and enveloped Cinder, blinding him with its light as she absorbed the rest of Amber's life force. As soon as she had, the entire room erupted in flame. The blast left his ears ringing, and he had been thrown back by a wave of heat and sound. The wall stopped him suddenly, driving the breath from his lungs and stunning him momentarily.

Cinder dashed forward as he slid to the ground, and she thrust her arm forward with a vicious snarl. Ozpin heard it, and barely had time to edge to the side before her arm buried into the thick stone wall. Taking the opportunity, he wrapped his own around her trapped arm and used as leverage to drive his fist into her face one, two, three times before stepping back for a strike with his cane. A sword materialized in time to stop his strike, and they locked weapons and strained against each other as she freed her arm.

"You don't have to do this!" Ozpin pleaded through gritted teeth. "What has she offered you that is worth this destruction? How can you do this to us?" Pleading this late in the game was almost always fruitless, but you didn't get as old as Ozpin was on cynicism alone. As a sinister smile stretched across Cinder's face, however, his optimism faded away.

"Salem has offered me power beyond my wildest dreams. Power that you won't acknowledge, that you are too weak and afraid to see." She pushed the old man back a few paces. "And I will have it."

The mention of his nemesis paralyzed Ozpin, even though he had known for some time that the recent machinations carried her handiwork. It was one thing to suspect her, quite another to have her name snarled into his face by a Maiden murderer.

 _There will be no victory in strength._

 _But perhaps, victory lies in the simpler things that you have forgotten. Things that require a smaller, more honest soul._

Their parting words. The last thing he had said to Salem before she had returned to her darkness. And here was her agent, crossing weapons with him and winning as his school burned around him. His position was untenable, and his allies were scattered and wounded.

This game was hers. The next, however, was already being prepared for. He could shape it as he saw fit. And the most influential piece stood before him. A detached sense of peace pervaded his being as Ozpin realized what he had to do.

"Don't let Salem determine your future, girl." Ozpin whispered as he strained against her blades. "You can be so much more than someone else's pawn. Remember that the next time she calls on you." He gripped his cane with his off hand, twisting it away and breaking the contest of strength. Cinder's eyes widened and she spun, slashing with both blades to deliver a blow regardless of counter. Ozpin responded with...nothing? Cinder stood from her crouch and faced the Headmaster, even as he sank to his knees. Two crimson lines stretched across his chest, causing blood to blotch and stain his expensive suit. The elder man sagged to his knees and dropped his cane, though his face almost serene and tranquil. Despite the pain, he smiled up at her, amusement meeting disbelief as he shook his head.

"Don't be... another pawn for the Queen." He coughed weakly, and blood scattered across Cinder's elegant features as the Headmaster of Beacon, Salem's declared rival in all things, slumped to the ground dead. She hadn't even struck him, and his Aura was easily stronger than hers. He had purposefully allowed himself to be killed?! To what end? Did he think his weak parting words enough to turn her against Salem of all people?

Cinder allowed her blades to fade away in twin puffs of flame, her golden eyes still boring holes into Ozpin's back as he continued to bleed all over the vault floor. Even as she collected his cane, Cinder remained in disbelief. Where was the righteous glory she sought, toppling her master's greatest enemy? Where was the sense of accomplishment, when all she had done is kill an enemy that hadn't fought back? What praise would Salem deem worthy of her, when her only achievement was slaying an old man with a caffeine addiction? And his parting words – bah! She was more than a mere pawn. Cinder was the apprentice to the future ruler of Remnant. She was beautiful, brilliant, and cunning. Salem would treasure her above all other followers...

The new Maiden turned and strode back toward the elevator with purpose, her head high and back straight as she contemplated her next move. When she reached the door, however, she paused. Against her will and unbidden, her gaze swept over Ozpin's body one last time, before she tore it away with a snarl. Calling the overwhelming power of the Maiden to bear, her hands lit up with flame as she burned her way through the elevator car. She would show them all. Cinder would show them things that a pawn could never do.

* * *

When Ruby, Blake, and Yang returned to the CCT, they found more people that they had expected. Weiss stood above the milling crowd of students, civilians, and a few injured Atlesian soldiers as they clamored about worriedly. Her voice echoed in the antechamber as she called for calm, but not all would be eased by her words. The heiress turned Guardian was doing all she could, but unrest was rife in the room.

"People, you have to remain as calm as you can! The Grimm are still on the premises, and we can't afford an attack here!" She called out, and Ruby rushed in to assist her. When the rest of RWBY reached their place underneath Weiss, however, they found Team JNPR standing around as a shield. They were also trying to calm everyone down, and they seemed to be making progress, if only some. Jaune and Pyrrha were consoling a grieving man, while Nora held a pair of scared little girls in her arms. Ren stood tall next to Weiss' perch, exuding calm and tranquility for others to emulate.

"Weiss, we're here! Where did all these people come from?" Ruby called, and the heiress locked onto her quickly. Without stepping down from her position, Weiss could only yell over the din of panicked civilians.

"Jaune and the others brought them from the Colosseum. I think the rest made it to Vale, but we have about fifty people here." The heiress responded. "Is there somewhere else we can take them, the auditorium maybe? If something happens here, I won't be able to protect everyone without casualties." The meaningful look she sent Ruby explained the rest of it; Weiss could eradicate almost anything that would attack, but she'd likely kill someone else in the process. She was right, too. They had to get everyone out of there.

"We can get them to the auditorium, but there may be more Grimm or White Fang. Someone should go ahead and clear the way." Yang offered, and Blake stood next to her. "We can secure the area, but we'll need help to do it." At their announcement, more terrified muttering and sobs could be heard all around them, and the tension in the room increased. Okay, maybe a bad idea to suggest that there were still monsters on campus.

"We can help escort." Jaune said loudly, with his team coming to stand next to him. "No one's getting hurt while we're here." Pyrrha stepped up next to Weiss and stood over the crowd, a familiar face no matter where the civilians were from. She looked around at the room as all eyes turned to her, and she couldn't fight the sudden anxiety that welled up in her chest. Still, she was no stranger to stage fright, and a deep breath soon set her straight. With a nod to Blake and Yang, Pyrrha cleared her throat.

"Everyone, please listen to me!" She began, quieting most of the muttering and cries. "My name is Pyrrha Nikos. I know that many of you have heard of me or seen me compete, and I ask that you please listen." She swept her arm around the room, towards the two teams that stood there sans Yang and Blake, who had moved on to begin clearing out the school. "we are all Guardians, and we've been chosen to defend you from the Grimm. The White Fang came here to hurt you and your families, but we will stop them. However, I need your help. _We_ need your help. If we're going to get everyone there in one piece, it is vital that you stay calm and follow our instructions. We can protect you, but only as a group. If we get out there and something happens, running will only guarantee that we cannot protect you. I only ask that you trust us, because right now we are the only ones who can help." When she stopped, silence filled the atrium, though if it was out of terror or respect she did not know.

After the pregnant pause passed, a middle aged man with ram horns nodded slowly and gripped his wife.

"Alright, we'll go with you." He said resolutely, even as murmurs erupted around him. Behind the couple, a few others loudly announced their protest, but the Faunus that had spoken first turned angrily.

"There is a dragon out there!" He snarled angrily. "You can huddle here in the shadows all you like, but don't think for a second this tower will protect us. If we can find some better cover deeper in the school, we should follow the Huntsmen. They're better at fighting off Grimm than the rest of us." The muttering of doubt quieted, and the de facto spokesman turned to Pyrrha.

"We'll keep you safe, as long as you stay close." Pyrrha promised. "My team is more than capable of clearing out these Grimm." Almost as soon as she finished her sentence, another rumble rocked the tower. The huddled crowd cried out in fear, and Ruby spun toward the elevators. One of them hung open, its doors knocked off of their track by some unknown force earlier. She could see light coming up from below, and the air was steadily growing hotter. The reaper barely had time to shout 'Get down!' before a woman, clad in a red dress and streaming fire from her hands, rocketed up toward the top of the tower. Cinder. The realization sent a bolt of anger through Ruby, and she gritted her teeth as she drew Crescent Rose. As soon as the cone of flame passed by, Ruby rushed to the elevator doors, now singed a cherry red at their edges. Her weapon came up in an attempt to fire, but she was forced to dodge as something fell from Cinder's grip. The object clattered across the floor, stopping after it butted up against the central desk. When Ruby finally recognized it, her shoulders sagged in despair.

Ozpin's cane, extended in all its glory, sat motionless on the floor. It had fallen from Cinder's grip, which guaranteed the fate of its owner. Weiss and Jaune noticed it too, and Ruby could see the blonde clench his fist in ager while Weiss merely looked down despondently. Ozpin had been powerful, a man that even Professor Horst had looked up to. He'd brought her into Beacon two years early, given her a whole plate of cookies, and allowed the Guardians to help protect Remnant. He had been a friend. Now, he was one more notch on Cinder's sword, next to hundreds if not thousands. It would not do to allow her to pass without some kind of resistance.

"Yang, Blake, take everyone to the auditorium and protect them. Pyrrha, I need you to come with me." Ruby's eyes were cold as steel as they swept over the atrium. "We need to eliminate this threat."

Yang and Weiss both seemed perturbed by their normally bubbly leader's words, but look from her silenced their protests. Team JNPR exchanged glances as well, but Jaune's voice pierced the silence.

"We'll get these people to safety. But as soon as they are safe, we're coming up after you." Ruby opened her mouth to argue, but in the end thought better of it and turned to the elevator. With the decisions made, all but Pyrrha and Ruby began guiding the crowd of civilians out toward the auditorium. Pyrrha joined Ruby at the shaft, and together they looked upward to the top of the shaft. Far away, at the very top, Ruby could see light filtering into their path.

"She killed Penny." Pyrrha said morosely. "And Ozpin, and she fought Spirit off. We can do this, right?" Pyrrha's green eyes were filled with worry that Ruby couldn't help but mirror. The burning anger underneath that worry scorched it all away, however.

"We've stolen from an evil space god, brought a sunken city up from the bottom of the ocean, and we've all come back from death itself. The real question is, is she ready for us?" Ruby's question helped allay Pyrrha's fear, but she couldn't deny the cold grip on her stomach as her eyes turned toward the other set of elevator doors.

"Well, best not keep her waiting." Using her mastery of polarity, Pyrrha forced the doors open and stepped into the car, Ruby right behind her. The two redheads shared a solemn nod, and then Pyrrha closed her eyes to focus on her Semblance. All around them, the black aura of her abilities covered the metal elevator car. Walls creaked and groaned, and wrinkles appeared in the sheets of steel as Pyrrha forced it to do her bidding. With a grunt of effort, the two rocketed up towards Ozpin's office, where Cinder waited for their judgment.

* * *

Horst had endured a devil of a time getting free of the dragon, persistent as it had been. At least, until the creature suddenly lost all interest in him and banked back toward the tower. At first he had thought it a feint; a ploy to get him to slow while the dragon ambushed him from another direction. But there it sat, perched on the side of the tower like a salamander, its eyes focused on something in Ozpin's office.

His helmet chattered with the various frequencies of Vale and Atlas forces, all scared people doing their best to fight off the monsters in their midst. Most of his team had civilians and wounded safe within Beacon's auditorium, where they had begun their training less than a year ago. Pyrrha and Ruby, however, were not answering his hails. Instead, all that came from their Ghosts were a series of cries and grunts as the two did battle with Cinder Fall. Their Ghosts advertised their location at the top of Beacon's CCT, where the dragon had perched. The beast dug its claws into the side of the structure, sending concrete and debris falling in the process.

 _"Guardian teams are through the Gateway. Lord Shaax advises personal intervention in less than thirty minutes. Spirit is stuffing her ship to the brim with reinforcements."_ Switch advised as he remained connected with the _Iron Symphony_. The ship now hung high in the sky over Beacon, while Horst watched the dragon's movements in silence. Grimm wings could not reach them there, and Switch was using the communication suite onboard to boost the signals of all radio traffic. The CCTS was understandably struggling after the tower had been attacked by a colossal dragon. Horst stood, bay door open, and watched the battle below.

Nothing he'd thrown at the dragon had hurt it. The more ammunition he had scavenged, the more missiles he had fired, the more he realized that the _Iron Symphony_ did not have the capacity to destroy the largest Grimm he had ever seen. Horst had succeeded in angering it and attracting its attention, but he didn't have the mechanical muscle to end it for good. Now that it was in one place, he could hammer the damned thing as hard as possible.

But what could he use?

His biggest guns were no good, and it wasn't like he could just punch the thing...

Hmm...

"Or could I?" He mused out loud. His thoughts went back to a story of a Titan that had tested the effect of a Fist of Havoc from extreme heights. The moron had just jumped off of the tallest surfaces he could find, until his last test involved jumping from low orbit. The damage had been immense, but it had cost the poor Guardian all of his Light. His Ghost had requested help, and waited three weeks for someone to come revive his partner. This had been a newer Guardian, born with a beginning amount of Light and little else. With a reservoir like Horst's energy, it was possible he could accomplish what the other could not. Then again, a foe of this size could possibly shrug off even a hit such as that. Havoc's Comet was a crazy powerful move, but nothing was perfect. It was a risk, in a sea of other risks. But it was also the only likely way they were going to take the dragon down.

Switch materialized beside Horst as the wind whipped by, his gaze jumping from the immense Grimm below to his silent partner.

"You're not thinking of using the Comet, are you?" That he had to ask already told the Ghost the truth, so Horst didn't bother to hide it.

"Can you think of another way to get that overgrown lizard off of my students? Pyrrha and Ruby are in there." Even above the clouds, Horst could not shut out the grunts and clangs of steel coming from Ruby's open comm. The dragon's head bobbed and eased into the tower, obviously attempting to help its master as she fought off two Guardians, though limited by its own bulk. The view from above limited anything more than that, but Horst had a decent imagination. His students needed his help.

"Switch, keep the _Symphony_ at high altitude. If Spirit gets within range, direct her reinforcements accordingly. That dragon's not the only threat here." He stepped forward toward the open bay, but Switch flew in front of him.

"You've been fighting for over a day, and your Light hasn't recharged yet!" The construct cried worriedly. "You're too far from the Traveler for me to resurrect you on our own. What if it kills you?" It was a very real concern. Horst had not felt the Traveler's warmth for months now, and his Light was a finite thing. Long slumbers like he had enjoyed aboard the _Infinite Sky_ could recharge him, but recovering from a stunt like this would be different. Even close to Earth such an assault would take a lot out of him, but here? There was no way to be certain. But there was one thing he was sure of: his students would fail without his support.

"Then it kills me. And that's something we face every day. Now thanks to me, Ruby and her friends face the same fate. I will not have them walk that path alone, even if it costs me everything." Horst said resolutely, feeling the weight of the words even as he said them. It was one thing to declare it, but another to carry it through. Even as he stepped to the edge of his ship, the roars of the creatures below and all the gunfire faded away as a strange calm settled over him. His heart beat steadily in his chest, and a steady thrum of energy began building in his arms and legs. His Light, the embodiment of his fighting spirit, pulsed ready for what was ahead. And if he fell? So be it.

 **Thunderstruck** by _AC/DC_

Horst stepped off, and gravity took hold of him. The calm of the _Iron Symphony_ was gone, replaced by howling wind and the sound of battle below. He gritted his teeth, Chimera struggling against its magnetic lock as it began to resist the wind. The Titan splayed his arms and legs out to slow his descent, but also to spread his power as well. The trick to the Comet was not to overpower yourself and fall from orbit. The key was to generate more Arc Light naturally than one could possibly create alone. So Horst channeled his Arc Light, gathering the power in his arms and chest. But instead of storing it for a mighty blast, he pulsed it, releasing the building energy in bursts as he tore through the air. Clouds parted in his wake, charged with energy and disturbed by his passing. Even in first few seconds of his fall, Horst could feel the storm gathering.

The Titan increased the frequency of his pulses as each became more powerful, and brought his arms and legs back in. Now instead of falling gracefully, he dove through the remaining clouds – and they followed behind. A rotating funnel of dark clouds, broad but shallow, followed behind Horst as he fell through the air, wind screaming at him all the way. In his head, a cry of pain from Ruby incensed a terrible rage within him, and he forced even more Light into the surrounding air. A crackling hue of energy clung to him, stray bolts of Arc Light jumping from his body to dance in the air. His silver armor shone brightly, and the night grew brighter as he neared his target. Behind him, the short funnel had become titanic in size, drawing ever more clouds to follow.

All of the lights and funnel clouds must have been distracting, as the dragon finally turned from its perch to look upward towards him. The four burning eyes widened when the creature beheld the Titan: a blinding beacon of light flying downward, with a foreboding tornado of lightning behind him. The Grimm shrieked a challenge at him, and a beat of its wings buffeted the area below with gale force winds. The creature only got one beat, however, as Horst slammed into its chest just as the dragon turned to meet him in the air. The collision jarred Horst to the core, but his arm held as he poured all of the charged energy, both around and within him, into the Grimm dragon. The two fell together into the courtyard, but the second the dragon made contact with the ground all of Horst's Arc Light detonated. A great blast of power rocked the plateau, sending tremors up the CCT and all through the school. Grimm and soldiers alike stumbled and fell, all confused at the huge impact. The answer came, however, as the second part of Horst's attack was realized. _CRACKOOOOOOOM!_ A blinding column of electricity fell from on high, as wide as the CCT itself as it swallowed both Guardian and Grimm. For one terrible moment, the whole world went white. After it had passed, another rumble echoed through the ground, and then all was silent.


End file.
